By Rebecca

Our Savior’s Lutheran

One stormy, rainy day on a farm, two little lambs were born.  One was a bigger lamb and was as healthy as could be.  Within a matter of minutes, the strong lamb was up and walking like had been doing it for years.

The farmer, not expecting his sheep to have twins, was surprise when another lamb was born. It only weighed a few pounds, but the farmer did everything he could to keep the little lamb alive. He cared for it like a son.

Little Lamb lived, but he was always smaller and weaker than the other lambs and endured constant bullying. The other sheep laughed at him when he would fall while he was trying to run in the field, scorn him when he tripped over his own feet, and called him names when the lab fell into his food. But that wasn’t the worst part of the teasing; what really hurt him was that his older brother never tried to stop any insults that were thrown at him. In fact, the stronger lamb often joined in with the others’ jeers.

Every night when the little lamb would go back to the barn crying with his head down, his mother would cuddle him by her side and sing him a song;

My dear little lamb

Though you are weak on this earth

The Father in Heaven loves you.

There was a mistake in your birth

The Maker looks down

With his eyes full of love.

For he sees you in your pain

And will raise you above.

God gave you a purpose

And your time will draw near

When you will stay by his side forever

Never to hurt, want, or fear

 And every night, the little lamb would fall asleep; dreaming about the Maker. When the lamb woke up, he would shudder at the thought of facing another day of teasing, name calling, and laughter. But his mother’s song rang in his ears and gave him the courage to keep going.

Two months later, little lamb woke up with no mother by his side. He looked around, alarmed. Across the pasture, a group of men were standing around something.  It was the little lamb’s mother.  A wolf had slunk into the barn at night and had attacked little lamb’s mother.  She had died trying to save her baby.

Little Lamb cried and cried. The only comfort in his life had been his mother. Now, he only had her songs to guide him.

At night, Little Lamb would curl up by himself and ward off the cold. In the day the lamb had no one to encourage him or eat with him. He was utterly alone except for the Maker.

As the years passed, the stronger lamb grew taller and two big, curly horns appeared out of his head.  He was admired by all, and every sheep both feared and respected this great leader. Yet, the little lamb stayed little and weak.  He would cry out to the Maker, “Why me? I’m so weak. Why can’t I be like the other sheep that can run and play without falling or getting tired?”

But the Maker never seemed to answer.

The only hope Little Lamb had was in the sparrows that seemed to sing his mother’s song every morning.  The mother and father sparrow had a little, baby bird in their nest they had placed his in the barn rafters.  The little lamb would watch them flutter to and fro to care for their featherless child.

One day, a severe storm rolled through the sheep’s valley.  It reminded Little Lamb of the night he was born: barely breathing. Bitter wind gusts blew through the stalls, and the barn creaked and groaned. It was impossible for the little lamb to sleep, so he prayed with his eyes tightly shut and his body curled into the tightest ball that it could manage.

But then the lamb heard the tiniest noises.  He peeked open one eye, and then the other. The little lamb was frightened at what he saw.

The tiny sparrow chick had fallen in the storm onto a bed of straw. It didn’t appear to be hurt, but if it wasn’t kept warm, then it would definitely die. S, getting up from his position on the barn floor, the lamb batted wind gusts and sheets of rain until he got nearer to the little bird.

Suddenly, the barn shook violently and a rafter plunged straight toward the chick! The little lamb saw all this in what seemed like slow motion.  He thought about his life and how hard it had been.  He thought about the sacrifice his mother had made to keep him safe. He thought how sad the bird’s parents would be when they found her dead under a beam. The little lamb knew what he should do. 

In a split second decision, Little Lamb jumped in the path of the falling rafter and scooted the baby sparrow out of the way just as the plank fell to the ground.  The little lamb knew no more.

Little Lamb awoke to the swaying motion of someone carrying him. His sleepy eyes opened slowly.  What he saw was magnificent. And angel clothed in pure white carried the lamb through the streets of gold and people all clothed in light. Everyone seemed so happy and the little lamb didn’t know where he was; only that he was content.

After only a few seconds of walking, the little lamb and his angel walked into a regal room fit for the Maker Himself.  They stopped and conversed with another angel with spreading wings and were admitted into what looked like a throne room.  Little Lamb was then set down gently.  There before him stood the Maker. He was too dazzling to describe, and the little lamb could only stare at his brilliance. The Maker laughed and held out His arms for the lamb to come to Him.

Little Lamb was unsure of himself. What if he fell in front of the Maker? Would the Maker send him away?

The Maker motioned again for the lamb to come to Him. Slowly the little lamb untangled his legs and got up on his feet.  Surprisingly, his legs felt strong and powerful. He had never known this feeling on Earth, and the little lamb knew that he had to be in Heaven.

With his newly found strength, he leapt toward the Maker’s outstretched arms.  The little lamb felt himself lifted in love’s embrace; something he had never known on Earth. His life had been filled with sorrows, pain, and death, but he now understood that it was worth it all.

As the Maker cuddled the little lamb, he said “Well done little lamb, because you gave your life for the little sparrow and did not withhold your life, my Son will, too, be called the Lamb of God. He will not spare even His life for all of humankind.  He will be a lamb among fallen goats and will get crucified on a cross. Yet, because of His sacrifice, the entire world may be saved if they will only choose to follow Him.”

The little lamb felt amazed and honored that the Son of the Maker would be named after him.  After all of his trials on Earth, the lamb felt loved wanted and important. As the Maker set the little lamb down on the ground and the lamb started to leave, the Maker called back to him.

“Oh My precious lamb! I have a surprise for you. It is well-deserved, as you have given your all.”

When the little lamb turned around, there stood his mother; shining like one of the stars.  He ran to her laughed for joy, for he had finally found what he was looking for.