The Story of a Word

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 15, 1910

The Story of a Word

At first it was only a little cross, selfish thought in Johnny West’s heart. If the heart had been full of love to God, the thought wouldn’t have had any room there. Johnny had never asked God to give him a clean heart, and this naughty thought was only one of many that were always making trouble for him and for others.

The thought grew very rapidly, and somehow slipped into Johnny’s mouth, and when it reached his lips, it changed into a word—a loud, hateful, cross word to his baby sister.

Although it was only a word, it made the baby cry, and brought a shadow to his mother’s face.

“O my son!” she said, “how can you speak so to your little sick sister?”

Johnny went to school, and was very unhappy. He wished that he might call back the word. But no! The swiftest horse could never overtake it. It was going on and on. And God knew that it belonged to Johnny West.

Johnny went home at noon. His mother was very pale.

“The baby is worse,” she said.

Johnny bent over his mother’s lap and kissed the baby. She was such a pretty baby, and had just learned to walk! When she saw Johnny, she was afraid of him, and turned with a little cry toward her mother.

Johnny went out and sat on the kitchen

doorstep, and wondered why the sun didn’t shine any brighter. It seemed as if that word was between him and the sunshine.

That night the baby died. When Johnny saw the sweet, still face, and tiny, cold hands, he cried as if his heart would break. But tears could not bring back the little sister.

“O mama!” he sobbed, “if she will only come to life again, I will be so good to her. O, if I hadn’t said that word!”

“God will forgive the word if you are sorry, my son,” replied the mother.

“But it will always hurt!” moaned Johnny.

And, though he started that day to be a better boy, and lived many years doing good, his heart often ached, even when he became an old man, over the word that was once but a selfish thought. —Selected.