Beth’s Obedience

Beth Schultz lived in a small town in Germany. Her father and mother were very well-known and had many friends. But they never attended church; they lived very worldly lives. For this reason, Beth’s life was very difficult.

When Beth was just a little girl, she went to church with some friends. The Lord had blessed the service to her young heart and she had learned about the way of salvation. From then on, Beth went to church whenever she could.

This made her parents very angry. One day Mr. Schultz said, “Beth, you are wasting your time with this foolishness. I want you to promise me that you will never go to church again!”

Beth was very troubled. She loved her parents very much, but she loved the Lord even more. “I’m sorry to disobey you, Father,” she answered, “but God’s command is that I must obey Him.” This made her father very angry, but Beth continued to attend church, trusting that the Lord would care for her.

One evening Beth returned home from church to find the house full of noisy, laughing people. Her parents were holding a dance at their home. As she entered by the back door, her father spotted her. “Ah, Beth, you are finally here. You are just in time to join the next dance.”

Beth could tell that her father was determined, yet she tried to be excused. “Oh, Father,” she answered, “please excuse me from doing this. I have just attended a church service. It would be wrong for me to go from church to a dance.”

“I don’t care if you were in church again! I insist that you go in and dance. If you do not, I will punish you severely.”

“Please, Father,” she begged, “please don’t make me go in, and I will do anything you wish that is right.”

Hearing this, her father became very angry. “I won’t listen to any more excuses. Now, in you go!” As he spoke, he took her firmly by the arm and forced her into the room where the dance was being held. Beth hung back, and when she saw the merry dancers whirling around the room, she turned pale. Everyone saw her enter, and she wondered how she could make her escape. Dan, one of the wildest boys in town, was also there. Before she knew what happened, he came to her and politely asked, “May I please have the next dance with you?”

Now Beth faced a most difficult decision. Everyone was curiously watching to see what she would do. The room grew very quiet. Would she deny her confession? Would she choose to serve Christ or the world?

Beth hesitated for only a moment. Then she fell down on her knees and cried out, “Lord, help me! Lord, deliver me! Thou knowest that I may not dance. Thou knowest that I desire to serve Thee. Save me, oh, save me, for Christ’s sake!”

Beth’s prayer was heard. Everyone was stunned and it remained deathly quiet for a moment. But Harry, one of the musicians, was deeply touched by this scene. Overpowered by what he saw, he smashed his violin to the floor. “I have served Satan for many years,” he cried, “but I will serve him no more!” From that time on, Harry’s life was changed. Beth’s prayer proved to be the means of his conversion, and Harry learned to serve the Lord.

Beth’s prayer was also the end of the dance. The trap her father had set for her had failed. She had bravely taken a stand for Jesus and had won the victory. The Lord had made it true for her that “They that honour Me, I will honour.”

But Beth’s father was much displeased. His anger turned to hatred for his faithful daughter. He was determined to punish her in a way that she would never forget. Beth continued to attend church as before. Each time she went to church his hatred burned deeper. One night he formed a hateful plan. Rex, his German shepherd, was a large, vicious dog. Rex always faithfully obeyed his master. Mr. Schultz now called his faithful dog and they went off into the darkness to wait for Beth to return from church. After crouching down beside the road for some time, he finally saw her coming. Waiting until she was nearly in front of him, he gave the command, “Go get her, Rex!”

The joy she experienced in her soul more than made up for her crooked body and difficult life.

Rex immediately sprang upon his victim, obeying the command of his master. Beth could not recognize the dog, for it was dark. But throwing her arms up to protect her face, she cried out, “Help! Help me! Down boy! Help!” Rex recognized her voice at once and his growls changed to a happy bark. He licked his mistress and ran in circles around her, barking happily.

Now Mr. Schultz’s anger knew no limits. Seeing that his plan had failed again, he sprang up from beside the road. Looking wildly around, he grabbed a heavy stick and began to beat poor Beth. At last he threw his stick away and left her.

Beth was found by others and was carried home. She was seriously injured and had to stay in bed for many weeks. At last she was able to be up, but deep scars showed where she had been beaten. Her back had also been injured and remained crooked for the rest of her life. But the joy she experienced in her soul more than made up for her crooked body and difficult life.

If the Holy Spirit works in your heart, then you too will receive strength to part with sinful pleasures; then you too will be drawn to the Lord Jesus and will learn to trust Him alone. You too will suffer persecution for Christ’s sake. Only then will you learn to do His holy will out of love to Him.

— JL

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