To Love a Child – July 15, 2001
Every child is born into this world with the need to feel wanted and loved. The great humanitarian, Mother Teresa, discovered that there’s one disease for which there is no medical cure. It’s that of being an unwanted child. She said, “Except there are willing hands to serve and there’s a loving heart to love, I don’t think this terrible disease can ever be cured.”1 We may not be able to serve as Mother Teresa did in trying to save the children of the world, but in some significant way we can make a difference.
Lucile Johnson was “a funny looking little girl with straight brown hair.” A world-famous German contralto came to town to present a concert. To everyone’s surprise, Lucile was the child chosen to present a bouquet of flowers to this grand lady at the end of her concert. She carefully memorized the flowery speech that had been written for her. At the conclusion of the concert, the little seven-year-old girl walked out on stage to present the bouquet. Nearly paralyzed with fright, she couldn’t move or speak. The awful silence that followed was humiliating. Then the renowned performer reached out to her and said: “You brought me roses? I love roses.” She went down to her knees, took the child in her arms, and said, “Kinder, I love you.” Then the child sobbed out the words: “Oh, Madame Schumann-Heink, you are so wonderful! I love you, too.”2
Everyone has the opportunity at some time to help a frightened, sad, or even disruptive child feel loved. Most of these opportunities happen in our homes with our children and grandchildren. Thisis the place where love begins, the place where every child must feel love and safety. From those who have been so loved will come the heroes of the future. They’ll touch the lives of countless little ones, for they’ll know what it means to love a child.
Program #3752
1. See Chieko N. Okazaki, Sanctuary (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997), 76.
2. See Lucile Johnson, Somebody Loves You (American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, Inc.,