My selection for our second Advent installment is a story I discovered just this week. The author, Max Lucado, spins a touching Christmas tale that is also a meaningful reminder that nothing is broken in God’s eyes. I think this would be a perfect story to read aloud to your children and/or grandchildren.
Once upon a time, there lived a little lamb whose name was Josuha. Like all lambs, Joshua was cute and cuddly. He was white with black spots, feet, and sad eyes. Very sad eyes.
All the other lambs were quite happy. They loved playing and grazing in the pastures. But Joshus was another story.
You see, Joshua felt terribly bad when he saw all the other lambs running and jumping around. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to join in and play with them. He did. It was just that he couldn’t. Joshua had been born with one leg that didn’t work well. So, when he walked, he walked with a limp.
This made it hard for to keep up with the others. And running and jumping was simply out of the question. Try as he might, he couldn’t do it.
So, when the other lambs would play in the fields, running and jumping, Joshua sat by and watched them. It made him so sad, and he felt lonely.
As he was sitting there one day, he looked so sad and alone, that Abigail, the cow ambled up to him.
“Joshua, why are you sitting here looking so teary eyed?” she asked.
Abigail was Joshua’s best friend. She was a wise old cow who was always kind and friendly to everyone. Most of Joshua’s best moments were ones in which he spent with Abigail. In fact, Abigail spent hours with Joshua. She would tell him stories that kept him entertained. And as soon as she started to spin one of her famous tales, Joshua would forget that he was not able to run and jump with the other lambs.
One day, Joshua exclaimed to his friend, “Abigail, I want so badly to run and jump. But this leg of mine will not let me do that. I’m so sad. It feels terrible not to be able to do something.”
“Oh, my dear Joshua,” Abigail said, “you are correct that you are different than the others. But remember who made you. God made you! And everything that God made is good. You’re a masterpiece!
“A masterpiece with a cripple leg?” Joshua replied. “How can I be a masterpiece?”
Abigail responded, “Oh, Joshua, do not be sad. Have a cheerful heart. God has a special place for those who feel left out. He has a plan for everyone.”
“Well, what’s his plan for me? To sit here and watch everyone else have fun?
Abigail softly answered, “Joshua, we don’t always know God’s plan. He works in a different and mysterious way. But what we do know is that we can always trust God and count on Him to take care of us.”
And with that, Joshua limped away. He was upset. He wanted to believe Abigail. He really did. He wanted to be a masterpiece! But mostly he felt like a mistake.
What poor Joshua did not yet realize yet was that God never makes mistakes. Never.
And so, Joshua tried to believe Abigail when she told him that God had a plan for his life. But it was hard. Some days he felt completely alone.
One day, the shepherds decided to take the lambs to the next valley where there was plentiful grass for them to feast on. Each lamb was so very excited. What an adventure they were going on! And to feast on new grass? How exciting!
Joshua limped over to where the others were gathering and preparing to set off on the journey.
“Joshua, what do you think you’re doing?” one of the lambs asked.
“You’ll never be able to keep up with us!” bleated another.
“With that leg you will slow us all down!” complained another.
“And then we will never make it to the beautiful field of grass the shepherds have talked so much about,” added another.
“Go back, Slowpoke! You can’t come!” they all shouted.
Joshua hung his head, as the head shepherd walked over to him.
“Little Joshua,” the shepherd said, “the others are right. This trip is too long for you. You had better turn back around and spend the night in the stable.”
“But I really wanted to go,” Joshua pleaded, “I want to try Please let me go!”
“I’m sorry, Joshua. It is not possible,” was the shepherd’s reply.
So, Joshua turned around slowly and sadly limped away. Never before had he felt so left out. He was all alone. He felt absolutely useless.
Big tears rolled down his cute little face.
Abigail saw Joshua and walked over to him.
“Little Joshua, do not be sad. You are a masterpiece created by God! God has a special place for those who feel left out. You have a purpose! God has a plan for you. You just don’t know what that plan is.”
“Abigail, what could God’s plan possibly be? I can’t run. I can’t jump. I can barely walk. What use could I possibly be to God? You heard the rest of them. I’ll hold them back. I’m a slowpoke.”
“I know you feel sad right now, Joshua. It isn’t easy to feel left out, and it’s not always easy to feel different than everyone else. But you have to remember that God made each and every one of us. And we’re all perfect just the way we are. He didn’t intend for us to be the same.
“Well, I hope you’re right. I hope God does have a plan for me, because right now, I feel useless.
Abigail comforted Joshua and the two of them walked to the stable together.
After the two friends ate some hay, Abigail told Joshua a story about a funny adventure a rooster had gone on. Joshua laughed and laughed. He sure was glad to have a friend like Abigail. The two rested beside each other and soon they were fast asleep.
In Joshua’s dream he ran and jumped like the rest of sheep. He dreamed of being in a place where he never felt left out.
Suddenly, strange noises woke him up.
“Abigail, wake up,” Joshua whispered, “ You need to wake up. I’m scared. There is someone here with us.”
“What? Who?” Abigail replied.
The two friends looked across the dimly lit stable.
Abigail whispered, “Joshua, You’re right. Look, there is a baby lying on the fresh hay in the feed box. A baby! What is a baby doing here. A baby!”
Joshua whispered in reply, “Wow! And there is his mother. She’s resting on the pile of hay beside the baby.”
Joshua limped, moving closer to the baby. He stopped next to the mother. She looked so beautiful. The mother awoke. She looked at Joshua and smiled at him. She had a beautiful smile. She looked so peaceful and so happy. Suddenly, the baby began to cry. He was cold. His mother picked him up and put him on the hay next to her.
Joshua looked around for something to keep the baby warm. He was hoping to find a warm blanket, but there was nothing there. Then, he remembered that his own soft wool was very warm. Timidly, he limped over and curled up close to the baby.
The mother’s eyes met Joshua’s and she said, “Thank you, little lamb. Thank you for keeping my baby boy warm. His name is Jesus.”
Joshua smiled. What a beautiful name. And he could immediately tell that his was no ordinary baby. This baby was special.
“And my name, little lamb, is Mary. You are quite a handsome lamb. And smart, too. Look, Jesus has stopped crying, He is no longer cold. He’s warm and comfortable because of you.”
A man entered the stable carrying some rags. “Oh, Joseph, look! This little lamb has kept the new king warm!”
Joshua could not believe his ears. A king? This beautiful Jesus was a king? He knew it! He could tell the baby was special.
Joseph spoke, “Thank you, little lamb. Our baby, Jesus, is God’s Son, He came here from heaven to teach the world all about God.”
Just then, there was another noise at the door. It was the shepherds—the ones who had left Joshua behind to go on the adventure.
“We saw a bright light and heard angels!” one exclaimed.
Then they noticed Joshua cuddled up next to the baby.
“Joshua! Do you know who this baby is?” asked one of the shepherds.
Mary answered, “ Yes, he does. Little lamb, God has answered your prayer. The baby is the answer.”
Joshua smiled. He finally understood why he had been born with a crippled leg. If he had been like other lambs, he would have been away in the valley. But since he was different, he was among the first to welcome Jesus into the world. And not only that, he had kept the baby warm! Joshua felt important.
Abigail walked over to Joshua and whispered in his ear, “ You see, Joshua, God did have a plan for you. And what a plan it was! In God’s eyes you are special. Don’t ever forget that.
“Abigail,” Joshua replied, “I have a feeling that this baby is going to let everyone in the world know that we are all special to God.”
Smiling, Abigail answered, “Somehow, I think you’re right, Joshua.”
And so it was that Joshua learned his lesson that God loves us all, no matter what…no matter what we look like, or how we walk. God sees our hearts, And He wants us to take care of our hearts. The best way we can do this is to continue to learn about and love God. And just like the wisemen and shepherds followed the star to find Jesus, we must always seek Jesus.
Joshua witnessed the message of Christmas for we are all masterpieces in God’s eyes.
So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight the paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed. –Hebrews, 12-13
Have an AWE-full Weekend!
William “Bill” Bacque