Sammy again

I've mentioned this book in a
previous post. Reading through
it again with the kids, this passage
just jumps off the page. If only our
children grow up learning this early!!!

(Sammy is tenderly teaching Precious,
who is new to the flock, a lesson about
her attitude toward some sheep in the flock)

"Do you think your heart is ready to hear something wonderful, even if it hurts at first?" Sammy asked.

Precious wasn't sure she liked the way this conversation was going, but in her heart she knew that Sammy was her friend. He would do only what was good for her.

....

"Here it is, and I hope you'll never forget it: there are no annoying sheep, just annoyed sheep."

Sammy paused and let his words hang in the air so that Precious could think about what he had said.

"Soooo", Precious said slowly, "the problem is not the other sheep. The problem is...me?"

"Yep," Sammy agreed.

"You're sure Bertha is not the problem?" Precious asked.

"Think about it, Precious. What is one thing that is true of every sheep in our flock, even Bertha?"

Precious pondered this a bit and then said: "Our good shepherd bought every one of us. We all belong to him. Oh, Sammy, how could I be annoyed with a sheep that our shepherd loves? But I'm confused. Is it right for Bertha to...well...to be like she is?"

Sammy nodded understandingly. "If Bertha needs to change, our shepherd will change her," he said.

What truth that is! How much wasted time have we as Christians spent on our attitudes towards other Christian brothers and sisters. John 13:35 is very clear that "by this all men shall know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another". I love this book!