The Two Bears
by J. C. Ryle
And what happened as soon as Elisha had spoken? At once two female bears came rushing out of the woods, and attacked these wicked children, tearing and killing all they caught! Think what an awful surprise that must have been! How dreadfully frightened these children must have felt! What running, and screaming, and tumbling over one another, and crying for help - there must have been! How sorry and ashamed of themselves they must have felt! But with many, it was too late. Before they could get within the walls of Bethel - the two bears had caught and killed forty-two little children! Forty-two little boys and girls that night never came home to Bethel alive! Forty-two little suppers were not eaten! Forty-two little beds were not slept in! Forty-two little funerals took place next day! Some of the other children, I hope, got home safe, and were not hurt. But I am sure they would never forget what they had seen. They would remember the two bears as long as they lived!
Now, dear children, this is a sad story. But it is a very useful and instructive one. Like everything else in the Bible, it was written for your good. It teaches lessons which boys and girls ought never to forget. Let me tell you what those lessons are.
(1) Learn, for one thing, that God takes notice of what children do. He took notice of the "little children" at Bethel, and punished them for their wickedness. Remember, I beg of you, that God has not changed. He is still the same. He is every day taking notice of you.
I believe some people think that it does not matter how children behave, and that God only notices grown-up men and women. This is a very great mistake. The eyes of God are upon boys and girls - and He marks all they do! When they do right - He is pleased; and when they do wrong - He is displeased. Dear children, never forget this!
Let no one make you think that you are too young to serve God, and that you may safely wait until you are grown up men and women. This is not true. It is never too soon to become a Christian. As soon as you know right from wrong, you are old enough to begin taking the right way. As soon as you are old enough to be punished for doing wrong, you are old enough to give your heart to God, and to follow Christ. The child who is old enough to be punished for swearing and telling lies - is old enough to be taught to pray and read the Bible. The child who is big enough to displease God - is also big enough to please Him. The child who is old enough to be tempted by the devil - is old enough to have the grace of the Holy Spirit in his heart.
Children, however little and young you are - God is always noticing you! He notices how you behave at home, how you behave at school, and how you behave at play. He notices whether you say your prayers or not, and how you say them. He notices whether you mind what your mother tells you, and how you behave when out of your mother's sight. He notices whether you are selfish, or angry, or tell lies, or take what is not your own. In short, there is nothing about children - that God does not notice.
I read in the Bible, that when little Ishmael was almost dead with thirst in the wilderness, "God heard the voice of the boy." Mark that - God listened to the child's prayer. I read, that when Samuel was only a little boy - God spoke to him. I read that when Abijah, the child of Jeroboam, was sick and dying, God said by the mouth of His prophet, "there is some good thing found in him toward the Lord God." Children, these things were written for your learning.
Now I will give you a piece of advice. Say to yourselves every morning when you get up, "God sees me! Let me live as in God's sight." God is always watching what you do, and hearing what you say. All is written down in His great books, and all must be reckoned for at the last day. It is written in the Bible, " Even a child is known by his doings."
(2) Learn, for another thing, that it is very wrong to mock godly people and despise God's Word. The little children of Bethel mocked at Elisha, and called him "bald-head." For so doing they were terribly punished.
Dear children, as long as you live, make it a rule never to laugh at the Bible, or to mock Christian people. This is one of the wickedest things you can do. It is pleasant to see boys and girls merry and happy. Youth is the time for laughter and merriment. But take care never to laugh at anything belonging to God. Whatever you laugh at - do not laugh at God's Word.
Some boys and girls, I am sorry to say, are very thoughtless about this. They think it clever to make fun of those who read their Bibles, and say their prayers, and attend to what is said at Church. They laugh at other boys and girls who mind what their mothers say, and try to corrupt them. Some, indeed, are so wicked, that when they see other children trying to do what pleases God - they will point their fingers at them, and cry, "There goes a little saint!"
Now, all this is very wrong, and offends God exceedingly. There is One in heaven who sees these wicked children, and when He sees them He is greatly displeased. We cannot wonder if such children become trouble-makers, and turn out badly. All who despise God's people, despise God Himself. It is written, "Those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed."
I read in the Bible that Ishmael was turned out of Abraham's house because he mocked his little brother Isaac. At the time when Ishmael did this - he was only a boy. But, boy as he was, he was old enough to offend God by mocking, and to bring himself and his mother into great trouble.
