A young Italian girl sat at her stand in the marketplace intently absorbed in reading a small book. A gentleman pausing to buy something from her asked her what she was reading with so much interest. She replied rather timidly, “The Word of God, sir.”
The man, who called himself a skeptic, asked her, “Who told you the Bible was the Word of God?”
With childlike simplicity she replied, “God told me Himself.”
“God told you? Impossible! How did He tell you? You have never seen Him, nor talked with Him. How could He tell you?”
For a few moments the girl was confused and silent. Then looking up she said, “Sir, who told you there is a sun in the sky up there?”
The gentleman replied, rather contemptuously, “Who told me? Nobody; I don’t need to be told. The sun tells this about itself. It warms me. I love its light.”
The young Italian girl earnestly answered, “You have put it straight, sir, for the sun and for the Bible. I read the Bible. It warms my heart. It gives me light. I love its light and warmth. None but God could give the light and warmth I get from this Book.”
And he turned away quietly, ashamed by her simple faith.
“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” Matt, 11:26.
ML 02/12/1961