He Loves Me

Susan sat alone on the bench outside of the school yard. Susan wanted so much for someone to sit beside her and to be her friend but she also realized that this would probably never happen. Susan knew the children in her class didn’t like her. Susan was very hurt and sad about this but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. Susan had a disability, that made it difficult for her to walk. Susan felt burdened by her disability. She felt that her disability was causing her to not have any friends.

“Hello Susan,” a calm voice spoke.

“Hello,” said Susan shyly.

Susan turned around a saw a young girl standing beside her about her age. The girl was very beautiful. Susan envied the girl.

“My name is Melissa,” said the girl. “I just moved to this area about a month ago. I always see you sitting here by yourself and I’ve always wanted to come and talk to you but I just never did.”

“You have?” asked Susan surprised.

“You looked surprised that someone would want to talk to you,” said Melissa.

“Well,” said Susan. “I am surprised. I’ve been coming to this school for two years now and nobody has ever said anything to me.”

“That is just terrible,” said Melissa. “I just always thought that you wanted to sit by yourself. If I had have known that, I would have came over the very first day I saw you.”

“You are being very kind,” said Susan.

“I have an idea,” said Melissa. “Would you like to come to church with me this Sunday?”

“Oh,” said Susan, thoughtfully. “I would love to. I’ve never been to church.”

“That is great then,” said Melissa. “I’ll come and get you around 10 am Sunday morning.”

Susan went home that afternoon after school and sat in the kitchen with her mother.

“Mother,” said Susan. “I found a friend today at school.”

Mother stopped peeling the potatoes and turned around and took a good look at her daughter. She could see that Susan was smiling and it was a wonderful sight to see. Susan hasn’t smiled in years.

“Oh Susan,” said Mother. “That is wonderful! What is your friends name?”

“Melissa,” said Susan, excitedly. “And she wants me to go to church with her this Sunday.”

“Oh Susan,” said Mother. “That is wonderful. You know something, maybe church is exactly what you need.”

“Did you ever go to church, Mother?” asked Susan. “I’m kind of nervous about it. I don’t know what to expect.”

“I used to go to church a lot,” said Mother. “There is nothing to be nervous about. It is actually a lot of fun. You sing songs and you learn about Jesus and God and how to love everyone.”

“What made you stop going to church?” asked Susan.

Mother looked sad for a moment but then smiled at her daughter.

“You know,” said Mother. “I stopped going to church the day you were born.”

“I see,” said Susan, suddenly understanding exactly why her mother stopped going to church. “It must have been very difficult for you having me as a child. I must have been a burden to you.”

“No, Susan,” said Mother. “You were never a burden. However, it was very difficult for me to take you anywhere when you were younger because you did not walk until you were four or five. I do regret not going to church though and I should have taken you to church too. Sometimes even parents make the wrong decisions in life too.”

“I’ve got a great idea,” said Susan.

“Yes,” said Mother, before Susan could even say what she wanted to say to her mother. “I will go to church with you this Sunday!”

Mother hugged her daughter tightly.

“I love you Mother,” said Susan.

“I love you too,” said Mother, wiping a tear from her eye.

Mother, Susan and Melissa went to church together that Sunday and they had a wonderful time. Susan came out of that church a whole new person, with a whole new outlook on life. That Sunday, Susan learned that there was one person that loved her most of all, despite her disability and Susan learned that this person was Jesus. Susan also learned that Jesus has loved her even before she was born and that he will love her forever.