SUBMISSION, SUBMISSION by Dwight Lyman Moody

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 3, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 56.

SUBMISSION, SUBMISSION.

By Dwight Lyman Moody

ONE of the sweetest lessons that I have learned since I have been in Christ's school is just to be submissive, and let him choose for me. I tell him what I want, but when I get through, I like to say, "Now, Lord, you know best; thy will be done."

I learned a lesson once from my little girl. She was always teasing me for a great big doll. She had a lot of dolls around the house, some without heads, some without arms, some without legs, but she wanted a great big doll. You know if a man has an only daughter he is rather soft (and they find it out, you know), so she was determined to get that great big doll.

One day I had a good streak come over me, and I took her to a toy shop to get her a doll; but as we went in the door, we saw a basket of little china dolls.

"O papa, isn't that the cutest little doll you ever saw?"

"Yes, yes."

"Well, won't you buy it?"

"Well, now, Emma, let me choose this time."

"Oh, no, papa, I just want this little doll!"

I paid a nickle for the doll, and took her home.

After the newness had worn off, the doll was left with all the others.

I said, "Emma, do you know what I was going to do that day when I took you into the toy shop and you selected that china doll?"

"No, papa."

"Well, I was going to buy you one of those great big ones."

"You were! Why didn't you do it?"

"Because you wanted that little doll, and would have it."

The little thing saw the point, and she bit her lips, and did not say anything more. From that day to this I cannot get her to say what she wants. When I was going to Europe this last time, I asked her what she wanted me to bring her, and she said, "Anything you like." It is far better to let God choose for ourselves. "Thy will, not mine, be done."—D. L. Moody.