It took some time... but I saw the sparkle in her eyes return, her mouth smiled easily again. Her step was light. She was Mala again. Thank God! “What a fragile thing is a young heart,” I mused, “What a great responsibility for the parents of these young ones to see them through the pains of growing up!”
After the deluge came the rainbow of hope. Mala began to grow closer to the Lord. She thought, she questioned. She became more disciplined. One day, she showed me some comments and observations of her own on her daily Bible reading. Remarkable! My heart brimmed over with joy and pride. Above all, she was steadfast in prayer. She became a Sunday School teacher and an active member in her church. She was able to concentrate on her lessons and won her teacher’s approval. Mala was bursting with creativity and the Lord was using her talents.
But little storms in the tea cup were always brewing at home!
“Parents! They keep bugging me! For every little mistake I make, I have to listen to a lecture on my salvation. They can’t bear it when I scold my sister or tell them not to watch movies.”
“Well, why do you fight with your sister?”
“Her behaviour is unspeakable. She is....”
“On her way to doom...” I finished for her, with a laugh. “Go on, get your Bible here. Turn to first John...No, not the Gospel, the Epistle ....at the end, before Revelation. Okay, now find I John 2:9; 3:15,18; 4:20,21. Let me read out these verses with your name in it. Listen.
“Mala who says she is in the light and hates her sister, is in darkness until now. Mala who hates her sister is a murderess and you know that no murderess has eternal life abiding in her . . .
“Mala, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth . . .
“If Mala says, I love God and hates her sister, she is a liar; for she who does not love her sister whom she has seen, how can she love God whom she has not seen...
“And this commandment we have from Him that Mala who loves God must love her sister also.”
“Don’t! You’re scaring me to death!”
“Mala, the Bible is not an impersonal set of laws sent down from a God who lives far away in Heaven. You must think of it as a loving God’s personal letter to you. Only when you read it this way, does it make sense.
“Okay, let’s come to the point. Have you been wearing a holier-than-you look on your face? Has your tongue been quick and sharp to condemn your sister and parents? Have you been telling them in not so many words that you are saved and therefore belong to God, while they are the unholy children of the devil?”
“I have to speak the truth . . .” she began.
“Yes Mala, but speak the truth in love. You must remember Mala, you cannot change anyone by yourself. You must pray that God will touch their lives. But your prayer is not likely to be heard unless your attitude is right with God. Love them first, and accept them as they are. Only then can you really pray for them from your heart. Be one with them, help them every way you can. Love them, Mala. You will surely win them for the Lord. First Corinthians Chapter thirteen is a lesson on love. Learn from it.”
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, 8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
It took some time... but I saw the sparkle in her eyes return, her mouth smiled easily again. Her step was light. She was Mala again. Thank God! “What a fragile thing is a young heart,” I mused, “What a great responsibility for the parents of these young ones to see them through the pains of growing up!”
After the deluge came the rainbow of hope. Mala began to grow closer to the Lord. She thought, she questioned. She became more disciplined. One day, she showed me some comments and observations of her own on her daily Bible reading. Remarkable! My heart brimmed over with joy and pride. Above all, she was steadfast in prayer. She became a Sunday School teacher and an active member in her church. She was able to concentrate on her lessons and won her teacher’s approval. Mala was bursting with creativity and the Lord was using her talents.
But little storms in the tea cup were always brewing at home!
“Parents! They keep bugging me! For every little mistake I make, I have to listen to a lecture on my salvation. They can’t bear it when I scold my sister or tell them not to watch movies.”
“Well, why do you fight with your sister?”
“Her behaviour is unspeakable. She is....”
“On her way to doom...” I finished for her, with a laugh. “Go on, get your Bible here. Turn to first John...No, not the Gospel, the Epistle ....at the end, before Revelation. Okay, now find I John 2:9; 3:15,18; 4:20,21. Let me read out these verses with your name in it. Listen.
“Mala who says she is in the light and hates her sister, is in darkness until now. Mala who hates her sister is a murderess and you know that no murderess has eternal life abiding in her . . .
“Mala, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth . . .
“If Mala says, I love God and hates her sister, she is a liar; for she who does not love her sister whom she has seen, how can she love God whom she has not seen...
“And this commandment we have from Him that Mala who loves God must love her sister also.”
“Don’t! You’re scaring me to death!”
“Mala, the Bible is not an impersonal set of laws sent down from a God who lives far away in Heaven. You must think of it as a loving God’s personal letter to you. Only when you read it this way, does it make sense.
“Okay, let’s come to the point. Have you been wearing a holier-than-you look on your face? Has your tongue been quick and sharp to condemn your sister and parents? Have you been telling them in not so many words that you are saved and therefore belong to God, while they are the unholy children of the devil?”
“I have to speak the truth . . .” she began.
“Yes Mala, but speak the truth in love. You must remember Mala, you cannot change anyone by yourself. You must pray that God will touch their lives. But your prayer is not likely to be heard unless your attitude is right with God. Love them first, and accept them as they are. Only then can you really pray for them from your heart. Be one with them, help them every way you can. Love them, Mala. You will surely win them for the Lord. First Corinthians Chapter thirteen is a lesson on love. Learn from it.”
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
