Suffer The Little Ones
by
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Jostled first on this side, then that, Flavia felt her crutch slip on a stone and, had it not been for Justus’ strong clasp, she would have fallen. They retrieved the crutch and struggled on, only to lose the crutch again. This time the surging crowd loosened Justus’ hold on Flavia. Before they realized what was happening he was borne away by the surging crowd and Flavia, with neither Justus’ help nor the support of the crutch, slipped and fell to the ground. She lay where she had fallen, shocked and dazed, before she became aware that the noise and movement of the crowd had ceased, and she heard a clear, calm voice speaking. Looking up, she realized she lay alone. The crowd had passed by, miraculously without trampling her as she lay in the dust. They had stopped and were listening intently to the voice which she could barely hear. Flavia dragged her weary body to the side of the road where she could make out a figure standing on a rock speaking to the people. As she lay there she was seized with an urgent desire to reach and hear this man. She began to crawl, dragging her body painfully over the stones to where she had dropped her crutch. Again and again she tried to pull herself up but the crutch kept slipping and again she would fall to the ground. The stones cut into her flesh and her breath came in sobbing gasps. Flavia was in tears. Never in all her life had she had to work so hard. Always there had been slaves to run and lift her, dress her, shield her from all pain and unpleasantness. With a final heave she managed to get her good foot under her and, planting the crutch firmly on the path, she struggled on, trying to get through the mass of people. Some moved aside for the little crippled girl, but others muttered and grumbled as she pushed and shoved her way through. Almost there, almost there, and then the crutch again slipped from her grasp and once again she was flat on the ground. Her once snow white tunic was soiled and torn, her curls in complete disarray, dirt streaked her face, her hands and feet as well as her legs, dirty, torn and bleeding. But a burning desire to get to this man drove her on, and she crawled and dragged her way, dodging the feet and legs of the multitude. As she finally clawed her way to the front she saw several women with little children trying to reach the man who had now seated himself on the rock. Several of the children clambered eagerly toward him. Two or three of the men who had stood nearest him started to shoo them away, saying that he had no time for them. Her heart sank as she saw her last chance to get to him slip away. In despair she raised her eyes–and looked directly into his. For a long moment she gazed into those calm, tender, smiling eyes and it seemed as if her whole life was mirrored there! He knew her through and through. He knew her pain and her suffering. He also knew how cruel and spiteful she had become. In that instant tears rose in her eyes and she desperately wished she could take back every harsh word she had uttered to the slaves who had no recourse, every cruel slap and pinch she had administered to Merriam. She wished she could be worthy of the tenderness she saw in his eyes. Then he raised his hand and gestured to the men who were trying to keep the women and children back. Holding out his hand to Flavia, he softly said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not." With these words he raised her to his lap, and holding her with one hand, he reached for the other children. They swarmed over him! He smiled and called them by name. As she sat there in his arms Flavia felt a great and wondrous peace suffuse her soul. The sorrow and pain lifted from her heart, the anger and maliciousness replaced by a great calm and a desire to please this wonderful person who held her and allowed all the children to play about him. In the midst of a laugh she looked up. It was strangely difficult to see his face. A bright light shown about his head, almost like a halo she thought. Their eyes met, his tender but filled with a quiet sadness. For a long moment their glance held. She felt he was looking into her very soul. Something in her broke and changed. She knew then, young as she was, that never again would she be the same arrogant, demanding, haughty creature she had been. Someone called to him, the look between them broke, and the mood changed.
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About the Book
I have always considered the story of Jesus with the children one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. It seemed to me that anyone who had actually been touched by Him would be "touched" for life. My story is about a young crippled Roman girl, Flavia, living in Judea with her parents, her father was sent there in the service of the Emperor, Tiberius. She is a young, headstrong, selfish little girl but after being held and healed by Jesus her outlook begins to change. However, life is not smooth and she and her slave girl, Merriam are captured by outlaws and separated from her parents for many years. During this time other characters are introduced among others: the tribe with which they lived, two other little children captured and taken to Rome as slaves, the boy sent to a farm to work and the girl to serve as a slave in the House of Vestals, a young Roman soldier, Marius whose father commands the troops in Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate and Claudia Procula, Caligula and Claudius, emperors of Rome, and others who enter and influence the life of Flavia. The story begins in Judea, moves to Rome, and I cannot tell you where it ends as that might spoil the story.
About the Author
During the Second World War, she traveled with her husband to many army camps, and has always maintained, she sincerely hopes she will never have to do that again, but "wouldn’t take a million" for the experiences they had. They continued to travel whenever possible during his lifetime.
She had always had an urge to write, and during the lonely hours after his death she started the research for this book, helped immensely by a tremendously rewarding trip to the Holy Land.
She met and married her second husband while sharing her home with friends whose home had burned and who still take credit for introducing them. She is still trying to keep her mind occupied by learning the computer and playing the organ.