One Sunday night Lizbeth, as she was known by her friends, went forward after the church service when the pastor gave the altar call. That was a long walk to the altar for her too, especially since she was so shy. People would stare as she was walking by, but her eyes were fixed on the altar. She saw her Sunday School teacher standing up at the altar alongside the pastor. Her teacher was helping with the number of people accepting Christ that night. Lizbeth approached her Sunday School teacher and told her that she wanted to be saved. Her teacher smiled and put her arm around Lizbeth and led her into a side room. Her teacher explained to her how she could accept Christ as her Savior, and made sure she completely understood what the Bible said. Lizbeth accepted Christ right then and there.
I recall Lizbeth being so full of enthusiasm. She told all her friends about Jesus, and how He died on the cross for their sins. She studied the Plan of Salvation at every opportunity and tried to memorize every verse. She was so filled with the Holy Spirit. I remember Lizbeth going to her friend Marie's house and carrying books about heaven and salvation in one of her two bicycle baskets, the kind that hung over the rear fender. Her constant companion Molly, her little dog, was in the other side basket. Lizbeth and Marie would sit in Marie's front yard, with Molly lying close by, and Lizbeth would read page after page to Marie. She led Marie to Christ. I also remember her inviting her friend Pat to church revivals and Pat was also led to Christ. Lizbeth was such a happy girl. She was so positive and never dreamed of anything negative getting in the way.
Until one day when she had been witnessing to her friend Debbie. Somehow Lizbeth's words must have become misconstrued by Debbie. I remember Lizbeth's teacher, Mrs. Avery, wanting to talk to her. During the one-sided conversation, Mrs. Avery really scolded her and was very stern. Lizbeth really liked and respected Mrs. Avery, and couldn't understand why she was being so mean to her. Especially since she knew that Mrs. Avery attended a good church. Mrs. Avery told Lizbeth that Debbie's Mom had contacted her. Debbie's Mom had told Mrs. Avery that she had been telling Debbie "to go to hell". Lizbeth was completely dumbfounded and devastated. She never would have done that. She was just trying to help Debbie by letting her know of how she could have eternal life through Jesus so she wouldn't have to suffer in hell after she died. That Debbie could reap her rewards in heaven if she'd only ask Jesus to forgive her of her sins and believe that Jesus had died on the cross for her, and arose from the dead on the third day. Lizbeth was so set back by this event that she never witnessed to anyone again for several years. Unfortunately Lizbeth crawled back into her shell and became lonely and introverted. At times she was often teased and bullied by her peers. Instead of defending herself, Lizbeth quietly retreated.
This is a sad story, and unfortunately a true one. This is a story of how Satan can get a foothold, even on a young child, and how it can affect that child for many, many years to come. I know because I was the girl in the story named Lizbeth. Satan influenced me when I was a tender new Christian. I became bitter and more self-conscious after this happened. My one regret, and oh how I regret this, is that I would have asked for Christian counseling right away. I have no answer as to why I didn't. I didn't even tell my parents about it. I just completely withdrew. I withdrew the rest of my junior high years and on into high school, and even into adulthood.
I'm telling this story in hopes that it may alert some adult, whether it be a parent or Sunday School teacher, a pastor or assistant pastor who may be reading this post, to continue to teach and pray for young children once they have accepted Christ. This is when they are so vulnerable and open to Satan's clutches...and not necessarily just children. Adults that are new believers need this teaching and prayer also. It took me many years to come to terms about what had happened to me as a young child. Once Satan has his foothold, nothing good can come of it.
Even though I accepted Christ as Savior at a young age, I feel that I missed out on a lot of spiritual growth during these pre-teen and my teenage years, and even on into adulthood. I did attend church camp for a couple of years in my early teens, Sunday School and Youth Group, church both Sunday morning and evening, prayer meeting on Wednesday nights, and attended many revivals at my church and area churches. Even though I didn't always want to go to all these services, my parents basically insisted. If I didn't go, I would be disciplined, which wasn't always pleasant. I'm thankful for my parents "making" me go to church, especially since I wasn't always leading the right kind of life that a Christian should follow. At a certain point, and many years later, after much prayer and supplication, through the grace of God, my life did turn around.
"The Lord hath heard my supplication, the Lord will receive my prayer."~~~Psalms 6:9
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