TRUDY WAS a little girl, the daughter of wealthy parents. You would think that she had everything a little girl’s heart could desire — a loving father and mother, a beautiful home, kind friends, lots of pets, from a beautiful St. Bernard dog to a beautiful canary.
It would soon be her birthday, and she was accustomed to having a party and allowed to invite any of her friends that she wished. For some days beforehand Trudy and her mother would go shopping, cook would be busy making special cakes and cookies, and Trudy was allowed to help.
But this year Trudy was not quite the same little girl. I shall tell you why. She had discovered that the Lord Jesus loves little folks as well as grown-up people. She was so happy in finding out that He loved her, that she began to love Him in return. “We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:1919We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19).
Mother and father were very happy when Trudy put her trust in the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, and was truly “born again.” Everyone noticed the change in her. She began to speak more gently to the servants, and she showed no little kindness and love to the poor children in the village.
One night before going to bed her father had been reading Luke 14:12-1412Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. (Luke 14:12‑14). There the Lord Jesus said: “When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsman, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee.” As her mother tucked her in bed that night, Trudy told her what was on her heart. She asked that she might be allowed to have all the children in the little village for supper in the big kitchen, instead of her rich little friends whom she usually had. “And, mother dear,” she said hesitatingly, “I would so like it if you would let me tell them after supper, that Jesus has made me His own little girl, and that He can do the same for them.”
At first Trudy’s mother hesitated, but after talking it over with her husband, she gave Trudy permission, and with childish delight Trudy set about sending out her invitations. The afternoon of her birthday found the large old-fashioned kitchen full of happy, though rather bashful faces. As Trudy flitted about like a little fairy among the tables loaded with cakes and cookies and fruit, her delight knew no bounds.
“It’s better than all the parties in the world,” she said, with a happy little laugh. Then when the tables were cleared, the little maiden with smiles and tears in turn, told them that Jesus had given her a new heart and that “He’d like to do the same for them.”
As Trudy grew older, the desire to please her Saviour grew stronger, and she would tell all she came in contact with of Him who loved her and gave Himself for her. Wherever she went, she was known and respected as a happy Christian girl.
May Trudy’s life and testimony encourage other young girls and boys to trust the Saviour first of all, and then to seek His grace to live and witness for Him. He says, “Them that honor me, I will honor.”
An old servant of Christ, now with the Lord, used to remark: “I have never yet met a Christian who, at the close of his life, on looking back, said he regretted he ever took Christ as his Saviour.”
ML-09/22/1963