A R ea l V a len tine
Norma Morse
“ Good-bye, Susie, see you tomor row!” Susie watched her mother’s fingers as they swiftly guided the needle through the fragile material. “ Is Janet Brown going to be at the party?” Mother asked. “ No, I do not think so. I was talk ing to her yesterday and she said that because she did not have a new dress, she would not come. They are so poor, and Jean and Ralph, her sister and brother, both need new shoes. I feel very sorry for her. I do wish that she could, come to the party. She is so kind to everyone.” “ Perhaps someone will give her a dress to wear,” Mrs. Bates said, “Well, Susie, your dress is finished and it’s time to get supper.” Susie hung the dress up and then helped her mother prepare the eve ning meal. After dinner Mr. Bates took the big Bible down from the shelf while Susie, brother Jim and Mother listened as he read from God’s Book. “ Since it is near Valentine’s Day,” said Daddy, “ I believe a few verses about love would be in order. God’s greatest love verse to us is found in John 3:16. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlast ing life.’ ” Susie sat very still and listened. She was a Christian and loved the Lord Jesus. “We give our friends paper hearts to show them that we love them,” said Mr. Bates, “ but God gave us His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus loved us so much that He was willing to die for us, and He has taught us to love our friends. He said: ‘Love one another,’ and ‘Love your enemies.’ Jesus also said that the greatest com mandment of all was this: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind . . . and the second is like unto it. ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matt. 22:37-39). “ It costs little to send our neighbor a paper heart, but it costs much to really love that one as we love our selves,” commented Daddy as he
closed God’s Book. As they bowed their heads in prayer, Susie prayed that she might learn to love her neighbor as much as she loved herself. Later in the evening Susie ad dressed her valentines. She sent a very pretty one to Janet because she would not be able to come to the party. As Susie prepared for bed that night, she looked at the pretty dress her mother had so carefully made for her. Then she thought about the party and how much fun she and Linda would have. It was too bad that Janet couldn’t come. What was it Mother had said? “ Maybe someone will give her a dress to wear.” Well, she could give her the blue dress, or even the pink velvet. That was her very best one except for the new yellow one Mother had made today. It was so pretty, . . . perhaps the blue one would do. Of course, it wouldn’t be a new one for she had worn it a lot. Everyone would know that it was her dress and not Janet’s. No, that would not do. If she could only give Janet a new dress! Just then a little voice way down inside Susie seemed to say: “ You could give her your new dress.” “ Oh, but I’ve not even worn it my self,” cried Susie. “And what would I wear to the party?” “ You could wear the pink velvet dress. Didn’t you pray that you might learn to love your neighbor as you love yourself?” Susie tried to push aside these thoughts, but she could not rest. She kept thinking about Janet and the new yellow dress. Most of all, she thought about loving her neighbor. She was sending Janet a frilly paper heart, but that wasn’t enough. A real valentine had to have love in it— not paper frills. Finally she fell asleep whispering: “ Lord Jesus, help me to be strong and to love Janet as you want me to.” Susie was awake early the next morning, and as she opened her eyes upon beautiful new day, she realized that God had answered the prayer she had prayed for herself. She was now willing to give a real valentine to Janet—even the pretty new dress.
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“ IT I T o l d s t il l , Susie!” exclaimed JLJL Mrs. Bates. “ How can I pin a hem in your new dress while you wiggle so?” “ I’m sorry, Mother,” said Susie, “ but I’m so excited about our school Valentine party that I can hardly wait until Thursday.” “ It won’t be long now, dear; you’ll have to be patient. There! I think that will be fine. My, you look pretty!” “May I go next door and show it to Linda? Please, Mother, may I?” “ I suppose so, if you hurry. I do want to finish it today.” Susie, looking very much like a yellow buterfly in the organdy ruf fles, hurried to her friend’s house. She knocked at the door which was quick ly opened by Linda. “ Oh, Susie, it’s just beautiful!” Linda exclaimed. “ Come right in and see my new dress.” She led the way to the closet. “ Close your eyes,” she commanded as she held out a lovely blue dress. “ Oh,” squealed Susie, “ it is so pretty! We’ll have the prettiest dresses at the party! I must go right home though, because Mother wants to fin ish my dress. Good-bye, Linda.”
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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