Lenny the Lamb Learns What It Means to Have Childlike Faith - A Children's Story

  

Lenny the Lamb Learns What It Means to Have Childlike Faith

By Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller

Moral of the Story:
God loves every child and welcomes them with open arms. Faith begins in the heart that trusts simply and loves deeply. Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who believe like children. Childlike faith is pure, joyful, and full of wonder. God wants us to come to Him freely, without fear or pride. We don’t have to be perfect to be loved; we only have to believe. When we trust God completely, He fills our hearts with peace. Every child is precious in the eyes of Jesus.

On a peaceful hillside covered in soft green grass lived a little lamb named Lenny. He was small, fluffy, and always full of questions. Every day he followed the flock, asking his mother why the clouds floated, why the flowers opened in the morning, and why the stars twinkled at night.

His mother smiled patiently. “Because God made the world that way, Lenny.”

Lenny loved hearing about God. He often sat by the stream, looking at his reflection and whispering, “God, are You really watching me right now?” Deep down, he believed He was.

One morning, Pastor Shepherd called all the animals to the meadow for a lesson. The sun was warm, and the birds sang as he opened his small Bible. “Today,” Pastor Shepherd said, “we will talk about what Jesus said about little children.”

Lenny’s ears perked up. He wiggled closer to listen.

“Jesus once said,” Pastor Shepherd continued, “‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”

Lenny tilted his head. “Pastor Shepherd, why did Jesus want children to come to Him?”

The wise shepherd smiled. “Because Jesus loves children most of all, Lenny. He wanted everyone to know that faith is not about being the smartest or the strongest. It’s about trusting God completely, the way a child trusts their parent.”

Lenny thought about that all afternoon. He trusted his mother completely. When she said, “Stay close,” he stayed. When she said, “Follow me,” he followed. “Maybe that’s what faith is,” he thought, “just believing that God will take care of me, even when I don’t understand everything.”

That evening, dark clouds began to roll in over the meadow. Thunder rumbled across the sky, and lightning flashed far in the distance. The flock huddled together, frightened by the storm. But Lenny noticed something strange: a small bird’s nest had fallen from a nearby tree, and inside were two baby birds shivering in the rain.

Lenny’s heart tugged. “I can’t leave them,” he said to himself. He remembered Pastor Shepherd’s words about love and faith. “If God cares for me, I should care for them too.”

He carefully nudged the nest with his nose until it rested beneath a large rock ledge, safe from the rain. Then he stood nearby until the storm passed, shielding them with his woolly body. When the rain finally stopped, the mother bird returned, chirping happily.

“You saved my babies,” she sang softly. “Thank you, Lenny.”

Lenny smiled. “I just did what felt right in my heart. God helped me.”

The next morning, the sun rose bright and clear. The meadow sparkled with dew, and Pastor Shepherd gathered the animals again. He saw the little lamb sitting quietly near the tree. “Lenny,” he said kindly, “I heard what you did last night. That was a very brave thing.”

Lenny lowered his eyes shyly. “I was scared, but I remembered what you said, that Jesus loves children and that faith means trusting Him. So I trusted that God would help me, and He did.”

Pastor Shepherd nodded. “That’s exactly what childlike faith looks like, Lenny. It isn’t about being fearless. It’s about believing that God is with you no matter what.”

The other animals smiled at the little lamb, proud of his courage and kindness.

From that day on, whenever a new storm came or someone felt afraid, Lenny would remind them, “Don’t worry. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who believe like children. So let’s just trust Him together.”

Years later, when Lenny grew older, he became known as the lamb who helped others find peace through simple faith. He still asked questions, but now his answers were filled with wisdom that came from his heart.

And every time he saw a child playing in the meadow or a small bird learning to fly, he smiled and whispered, “Thank you, God, for loving the little ones most of all.”

Poem:

Faith like a child is pure and true,
It trusts that God knows what to do.
It doesn’t question, doubt, or fear,
For God is always kind and near.

With open hearts and eyes that see,
We find the truth that sets us free.
For heaven’s gates swing wide each day,
For hearts that trust and simply pray.

Discussion Questions:

1.     What did Lenny the Lamb learn about the kind of faith Jesus loves?

2.     Why does God want us to have faith like children?

3.     How can you show childlike trust and kindness in your life today?