That God’s love is without measure or limit is illustrated in the
following incident:
In the home of a friend one day, as he reclined on the lounge
opposite, and I in an easy chair, we were having a pleasant chat
until dinner was called, when his little boy, named Neil, about
three or four years old, came in. He went to his father’s side,
and I heard him whisper, “Papa, get up and show Mr. Shields how
much you love me.” I knew at once there was a secret between
them, as it is fitting there should be between father and child,
and that it was a secret in which the child rejoiced.
His father smiled, and said, “Oh, run away, Neil, and play; we
are busy talking, and Mr. Shields knows I love you.” “Yes,” said
the little fellow, “but I want you to show him how much.”
Again and again the father tried to put him off, but the child
persisted in his plea that the visitor be shown “how much” the
father loved.
At length the father yielded, and as he stood, the child stood
between us, and, holding up his index-finger, with a glance
first at his father, and then at me, he said, “Now you watch,
till you see how much my papa loves me.”
His father was a tall and splendidly proportioned man. First
he partially extended one arm, but the child exclaimed, “No,
more than that.” Then the other arm was extended similarly,
but the little fellow was not content, and demanded, “More than
that.” Then one after the other both arms were outstretched
to the full, only the fingers remaining closed. But still the
child insisted, “More than that.” Then, in response to his
repeated demands, as he playfully stamped his little foot and
clapped his hands and cried, “No! No! It’s more than that!” One
finger after another on either hand was extended, until his
father’s arms were opened to their utmost reach, and to each was
added the full hand-breadth. Then the child turned to me, and,
gleefully clapping his hands, exclaimed, “See? That’s how much
papa loves me.” Than he ran off to his play content.--C. C.
SHIELDS.
(1928)