Walter and Winnie, his sister, had a pet lamb. They took turns feeding the little thing with a bottle. It followed them all over and skipped and raced about to their great delight, so they called him Frisky.
One morning Winnie opened the door of Frisky’s little shed, but her little lamb was gone! She called Walter, and together they wandered all over the farm, calling and searching for their pet, but he could not be found. They felt so lonely and sad, and wondered if they would ever see him again.
A few days later they were both walking together up the road when, lo and behold, there was Frisky! But poor Frisky had a strong rope around his neck, and was being led along by a big man. Quickly they ran up to him. As soon as Frisky saw them, he began to jump and tried hard to run toward them, but the strong rope held him fast.
“What are you going to do with Frisky?” asked Walter.
“If you mean this lamb, I am taking him to the slaughter-house.”
“No, no! You can’t do that! That’s our own Frisky, and you must give him back to us at once.”
Bravely Walter stood right in front of the man, and tried to block his path, but it was no use.
“Move away there, boy,” ordered the man. “I bought this lamb this morning from a man down the road, and I intend to sell the meat in my butcher shop. Now run along.”
But Walter and Winnie wouldn’t run along. Winnie threw her arms around Frisky’s neck, and Walter started all over again to explain just how much they loved the little lamb, and how they had taken care of him.
While this was going on, a kindly-looking man came along and asked what the trouble was all about. Quickly Walter explained what had happened, and begged him to take the lamb back from the butcher.
“How much did you pay for this lamb, sir?” asked the stranger.
“I bought him this morning for ten dollars,” replied the butcher.
“Very well, I’ll redeem the lamb for these children. Here’s ten dollars for you.” With that he put ten dollars into the butcher’s hand, and reached for the rope.
It all happened so quickly the butcher didn’t know what to do. He looked at the money and then at the children with their anxious faces, and slowly handed the rope over to the kind gentleman. The gentleman handed the rope over to Walter, who quickly slipped it off poor Frisky’s neck. Frisky was only too happy now to follow his friends, and all three of them, Frisky, Walter and Winnie jumped up and down for joy.
Walter and Winnie thanked that kind man again and again for redeeming their lamb for them. Ten dollars seemed to them like a lot of money, and so it was. But it was the price of Frisky’s redemption.
Now let me tell you an even sweeter story. Poor Frisky could not save himself. He was being led helplessly to the slaughter. And Walter and Winnie could not redeem him for they had no money. But someone else came along and paid the whole price and set the lamb free. You and I, dear boys and girls, were being led away captive by sin and Satan, and we could not deliver ourselves. Father, Mother, Sunday school teacher or our friends could not save us. But the Lord Jesus loved us. He died to redeem us and to set us free, He has paid sin’s debt on the cross! It cost Him His own precious blood! Oh, why not take Him as your Say, four now and then thank Him for paying the price of your redemption?
ML 08/06/1961