"The Bummer Lamb"

Every now and again a ewe (a female sheep) will give birth to a baby lamb and immediately reject that lamb. In fact, she'll kick it away. Many times, the shepherd will try to reintroduce the lamb to her. If she continues to reject the little lamb, then the shepherd has to intervene. They call these baby lambs “bummer lambs’.

If the shepherd doesn't intervene, that little one will die…not of hunger, but of a broken spirit. So the shepherd takes the lamb into his home. He'll keep it warm by the fire and feed it with a bottle. At some point during every day, he'll pick that little lamb up, hold it close to his chest, and talk to it. Once the lamb is strong enough, he will place it back with the flock.

Isaiah 40:11 “He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.”

Here's the most touching part….In the mornings, when the shepherd comes to the edge of the field and calls out to the sheep, the very first ones to run to him are those rejected lambs, because they know his voice, they've experienced his love, and they trust him.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10: 14-15

This got me to thinking…Does that mean that our Lord, the Great Shepherd, loves His rejected lambs more than the rest? Not at all. At the hardest moments of our lives, when we were broken and hopeless, He came to us, picked us up, and held us close. We heard His voice, we felt safe, and we will never, ever leave His side.

It turns out being a rejected lamb isn't bad news. It's the best news of all! Friend, always remember that Jesus loves you! You are precious to Him. He longs to gather you close to His heart so you can experience His love.

Happy Easter & Many Blessings!

THE VIEWS OF SUBMITTED EDITORIALS MAY NOT BE THE EXPRESS VIEWS OF THE ALABAMA GAZETTE.