SOME years ago, during a very severe winter, I went one morning to spend the day with two ladies, who were staying for a time at the pretty watering place of C. The snow was lying on the ground outside, but they were sitting by a bright fire, in a snug parlor, and had just finished breakfast. The younger lady was crumbling some bread into a saucer, and told me she was preparing a meal for a visitor who came every morning.
I wondered who it could be that was to eat such a breakfast, and when Miss J. said, “Hush! I hear him,” I looked towards the door, expecting to see their friend enter. I found, however, that they were looking towards the window; and on its being opened by Miss J. in, hopped a beautiful little robin, and began to pick up the crumbs, not only from the saucer, but from her hand.
He did not seem to have the least fear, but every now and then lifted his little jet black eye to her face, chirping merrily. When he had finished his meal, he gave one loud chirp, as if to say: “Thank you,” and flew away into a wood near the house.
There are some pretty walks in that wood, and later in the day my friends invited me to go with them there. Miss J. took some crumbs with her for her “little friend,” as she told me, and scattering them on the ground, began to call, “Dickey! Dickey!” I had hidden myself, that he might not be frightened at the sight of a stranger. As soon as his friend called, there was a rustling noise in the bushes, and down came Dickey, and began to pick the crumbs at her feet. I was astonished at this, and said, “After all he only comes for what he can get. It is the crumbs he loves and not you.”
“Well, we shall see presently which he loves best,” said Miss J. She walked on to some distance from the crumbs, and again called, “Dickey! Dickey!” at the same time holding out her hand. Instantly the faithful little bird, leaving his crumbs, first perched on a little branch just over her, looking curiously as if to see if she were alone, and then hopped down and settled on her hand, seeming quite at home and happy.
“Certainly,” I said, “he loves you better than the crumbs.”
We left the wood and walked a mile or more into the country; when I perceived, as I thought, another robin watching us from a tree. “I think all the robins in the neighborhood know you,” said I to Miss J. She looked where I pointed, and, after a moment’s hesitation, exclaimed, “Why, that’s my own little darling. Dickey! Dickey!”
The little bird directly began chirping and fluttering his wings, as if quite delighted to be noticed by his friend. We now observed him more particularly and found that wherever she went he followed, flying from bush to bush, and always keeping near her, until she reached her home; when he gave a chirp, as if to bid her “good by,” and flew to his home in the woods.
During my stay with my friends, this occurred, not once or twice, but whenever they left the house for their walks; and when they left the place at the end of the winter, they were very sorry, as you may suppose, to part with their faithful and loving Dickey; and I dare say he missed them too, though he could now find food in the woods, and did not so much need their crumbs.
And now, dear children, what can you learn from little Dickey? Think how grateful he was to his friend for only a few crumbs. Have not you a Friend who has fed you, not for one winter, but for your whole lives, and has given you also clothing, home, kind parents, and many others who love you? Have you ever thanked your Friend for all this? If not, you may learn a lesson from the robin. There is one gift, too, that is far better than anything else which God has given—I mean His Son, whom He has given, even to die for sinners. Now, you know you are all sinners, and as such are in danger of eternal death. But when we were “yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). Jesus the Son of God (John 1:3434And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. (John 1:34)), God’s unspeakable gift, is the true gift from heaven, and those who eat of this bread, shall live forever. John 6:5858This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. (John 6:58).
Now if you believe what God tells you of Jesus, your Friend, and trust in His blood to wash you from your sins, you eat of this living bread. Then you will love Him who has so loved you, and will not fear Him, but will listen for his voice and try to follow Him, as the bird did his friend. That is, you will seek to know what He says to you in His Word, and to be like Him. And you will never be parted from your Friend as the robin was, but be with Him forever in heaven.
ML 01/05/1902