Timmy, a small boy of six, dearly loved his pet white lamb. Every free moment, the boy and his pet would play and frolic in the fields. One day the lamb became entangled in a thorny bush. The more it struggled to free itself, the worse became its plight. It bleated mournfully until the child was at last able to free its wool from the thorns. The boy ran to his father carrying the bledding animal cuddled in his small arms.

"Daddy," he begged. "please cut down the wicked bush that caught my lamb."

The father inspected the pet, cleansed the wounds and set the lamb free to play again. Then, taking his son by the hand, he bade the child point out the bush. Just as the boy did, a small bird came and perched on the offending branch. The bird lifted its voice in song, seemingly serenading father and child who listened enthralled. Then they watched as the bird gathered in its beak the tiny pieces of lamb�s wool that were caught on the thorns and flew away.

"The thornbush caught the wool which will be used to warm the birds� nest," explained the father. "Do you still want me to cut down the wicked bush?"

"Oh, no," cried the child as new awareness lit up his face. "It�s a good bush." And with that he ran off to play again.

Often we ask God to remove obstacles from our path, only to discover, upon listening closely to Him, that what we need is not less hurdles, but more love and understanding of His world.

�Chase Walker