Lila the Lioness Learns about Love
By Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller
Moral of the Story:
Love is the greatest commandment of all. To love God with our whole heart is to
trust Him completely. To love others is to see them through the eyes of
kindness. Love is patient, gentle, and forgiving. True love gives without expecting
anything in return. When we love, we bring light into the lives of others. God’s
love flows through us when we choose compassion over judgment. To love God and
love our neighbor is to live as Jesus taught.
Deep in the sunlit plains of Africa,
there lived a young lioness named Lila. Her golden fur shimmered beneath the
warm rays of the morning sun, and her heart was filled with courage and
curiosity. She was quick and clever, but her greatest strength was her caring
nature.
Lila loved her family dearly, but
sometimes she found it difficult to love everyone. The other animals were not
always kind to lions. The zebras kept their distance, the gazelles whispered
nervously, and even the monkeys chattered about her from high in the trees. It
hurt Lila’s heart, though she tried not to show it.
One morning, Lila went to visit Old
Temba, the wise tortoise who often taught the animals lessons from the Word of
God. He was slow to move but quick to share wisdom. She found him resting
beside the cool river under a large fig tree.
“Good morning, Temba,” she said
softly. “I need to understand something. How can I love others when they don’t
love me? Some are afraid of me, and others are just plain mean.”
The tortoise lifted his head and
smiled. “Ah, that is a question even the strongest hearts must learn, Lila. Do
you know what Jesus said when someone asked Him which commandment was the
greatest?”
Lila shook her head.
Temba quoted gently, “Jesus said,
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Lila tilted her head. “Love my
neighbor? Even if my neighbor doesn’t like me?”
“Especially then,” Temba said with a
twinkle in his eye. “Loving those who love you is easy. But loving those who
don’t, that’s when your love shines brightest.”
Lila thought about his words as she
walked back toward her pride’s den. Along the way, she heard a cry for help.
She followed the sound and found a small zebra tangled in thick thorny vines.
The little zebra’s leg was cut, and he was trembling.
When he saw Lila, fear filled his
eyes. “Please don’t hurt me,” he cried.
Lila’s heart ached. “I won’t hurt
you,” she said gently. “I’m here to help.”
The zebra didn’t believe her at
first, but when she used her sharp claws to carefully cut the vines and free
his leg, his fear began to fade.
“There,” she said with a smile.
“You’re safe now.”
The little zebra blinked in
surprise. “You helped me… even though I was afraid of you.”
Lila nodded. “That’s what love does.
It helps, even when others don’t expect it.”
The zebra smiled shyly. “Thank you,
Lila. My name is Zuri. I’ll tell everyone that lions can love, too.”
Lila chuckled softly. “You don’t
have to tell anyone. Just remember that God loves you, and He asks us to love
others the same way.”
As the days passed, word spread
across the plains about what Lila had done. The gazelles greeted her with
smiles, the elephants invited her to share water at their pond, and even the
monkeys began to wave from the treetops. For the first time, Lila felt truly
connected to everyone around her.
But one evening, a fierce storm
rolled over the savanna. Lightning cracked across the sky, and the river began
to swell. The smaller animals panicked, running for higher ground. Lila saw
Zuri the zebra struggling near the water’s edge, trapped again by the rising
current.
Without hesitation, she dashed
through the rain and grabbed a fallen branch with her teeth. Pushing through
the wind, she reached Zuri and helped him climb to safety. The moment they
stood on solid ground, the rain began to slow, and a rainbow appeared across
the horizon.
Zuri looked up at Lila with wide
eyes. “You saved me again.”
Lila smiled. “That’s what friends
do.”
Later that night, as the stars
appeared, Lila lay under the fig tree beside Old Temba once more.
“You did well, my young friend,”
said Temba. “Now do you understand what it means to love your neighbor?”
“Yes,” Lila said softly. “It means
to love even when it’s hard. To love because God loves us first.”
Temba nodded. “Exactly. Love is not
a feeling that comes and goes. It’s a choice we make every day.”
Lila looked up at the stars and
whispered, “I choose love.”
From that day forward, she became
known as Lila the Loving Lioness. Her heart grew as wide as the plains she
called home, and every creature knew that when Lila was near, kindness
followed. She learned that when we love God with all our heart, His love flows
through us, and there’s always enough to share.
Poem:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It fills the heart and lights the mind.
When we love God, we learn to see.
The beauty in both you and me.
Love your neighbor, near or far,
That’s how we show who we truly are.
For love will heal, forgive, and bless.
And make the world reflect God’s goodness.
Discussion Questions:
1.
What did Lila the Lioness learn
about loving God and loving others?
2.
Why is it important to show love
even when others are not kind to us?
3.
How can you show love to your
“neighbor” today, at home, at school, or in your community?
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