“Assuredly, I (Jesus) say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”Mark 10:15.
We can learn so much from children. Today, feeling the lack of courage, I remember a story, one of which I am so thankful was written, so as to be strengthened in my love for God, and to be more worried about what HE THINKS than man! Oft times, God uses children to speak to us ‘adults’!
The story, “The Courage of a Child, p288 from the book “Jesus Freaks, by dc Talk and the Voice of the Martyrs, Stories of those who stood for Jesus: the ultimate Jesus Freaks. The story is told like this:
“Siao-Mei, 5 years old,Mainland China. During the Red Guard Era, 1966-69.
“Over and over, a mother spoke soothing words to her five-year-old child as they sat in their dark, damp cell. The woman was in jail because she had protested against the arrest of her bishop; her child was in jail because the little girl had nowhere else to go.
All the prisoners were indignant at seeing the child suffer so. Even the prison director said to the mother,”Don’t you have pity on your daughter? Just declare that you give up being a Christian and will not go to church anymore. Then you and the child will be free.”
In despair the woman agreed, and she was released. After two weeks, she was forced to shout from a stage before 10,000 people, “I am no longer a Christian.” On their return home, the child, who had stood near her when she denied her faith, said, “Mummy, today Jesus is not satisfied with you.” The mother explained, “You wept in prison. I had to say this out of love for you.” Siao-Mei replied,”I promise that if we go to jail again for Jesus, I will not weep.”
The mother ran to the prison director and told him, “You convinced me I should say wrong things for my daughter’s sake, but she has more courage than I.” Both went back to prison. But Siao-Mei no longer wept.’
Whatever ‘prison’ the Lord has allowed in your life on this day, whatever pain the Lord has allowed, whatever great sorrow- Jesus KNOWS and He is with us. We can have joy, deep down, just knowing He is with us.
The little 5 year old no longer wept with tears in her eyes, because she knew that Jesus had His eyes on her with ‘satisfaction’ and love. He was God and she trusted Him no matter what!
Psalm 34:4,5,” I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me, freeing me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.”
Today, today, let us pray to the Lord. He will answer and free us from all our fears. We may look to Him for help and we will be radiant with joy; we will have no shadow of shame to darken our faces! The joy of the Lord will be our strength! To think that God could use such a young child to move her mama to a path of victory and joy, and it would actually be…back in the prison! Who knows what great things the Lord did there!
“Lord, may we no longer weep through the trials of our days, may we be strengthened in You -no matter what. Oh that we could love You as much as little Siao-Mei! Thank you that this little one was more worried about what You thought than a multitude of people! Siao-Mei, and all 5 years old of her, was living simply for…an audience of One! Help us Lord to do the same! In Jesus name, Amen.”
I can only imagine, but I think when that mommy looked her little girl in the eyes in that prison, and she saw Jesus in those eyes. And she was strengthened to pray and not be afraid, and there was no shadow of shame to darken their faces anymore!
“Siao-Mei, 5 years old,Mainland China. During the Red Guard Era, 1966-69.
“Over and over, a mother spoke soothing words to her five-year-old child as they sat in their dark, damp cell. The woman was in jail because she had protested against the arrest of her bishop; her child was in jail because the little girl had nowhere else to go.
All the prisoners were indignant at seeing the child suffer so. Even the prison director said to the mother,”Don’t you have pity on your daughter? Just declare that you give up being a Christian and will not go to church anymore. Then you and the child will be free.”
In despair the woman agreed, and she was released. After two weeks, she was forced to shout from a stage before 10,000 people, “I am no longer a Christian.” On their return home, the child, who had stood near her when she denied her faith, said, “Mummy, today Jesus is not satisfied with you.” The mother explained, “You wept in prison. I had to say this out of love for you.” Siao-Mei replied,”I promise that if we go to jail again for Jesus, I will not weep.”
The mother ran to the prison director and told him, “You convinced me I should say wrong things for my daughter’s sake, but she has more courage than I.” Both went back to prison. But Siao-Mei no longer wept.’
Whatever ‘prison’ the Lord has allowed in your life on this day, whatever pain the Lord has allowed, whatever great sorrow- Jesus KNOWS and He is with us. We can have joy, deep down, just knowing He is with us.
The little 5 year old no longer wept with tears in her eyes, because she knew that Jesus had His eyes on her with ‘satisfaction’ and love. He was God and she trusted Him no matter what!
Psalm 34:4,5,” I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me, freeing me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.”
Today, today, let us pray to the Lord. He will answer and free us from all our fears. We may look to Him for help and we will be radiant with joy; we will have no shadow of shame to darken our faces! The joy of the Lord will be our strength! To think that God could use such a young child to move her mama to a path of victory and joy, and it would actually be…back in the prison! Who knows what great things the Lord did there!
“Lord, may we no longer weep through the trials of our days, may we be strengthened in You -no matter what. Oh that we could love You as much as little Siao-Mei! Thank you that this little one was more worried about what You thought than a multitude of people! Siao-Mei, and all 5 years old of her, was living simply for…an audience of One! Help us Lord to do the same! In Jesus name, Amen.”
I can only imagine, but I think when that mommy looked her little girl in the eyes in that prison, and she saw Jesus in those eyes. And she was strengthened to pray and not be afraid, and there was no shadow of shame to darken their faces anymore!
Reblogged this on Toni Rypkema and commented:
I share this again because courage is something I need this day, and my genuine love for Jesus sharpened… this child is an example of courage and love to me and I pray for many more: