Ricky had a calf that he had earned all by himself. It was a bit scrubby, which probably accounted for its name Teeny. But he was very fond of it and gave it such good care that it grew to be a pretty fine cow.
One day Teeny had a new little calf. What a cute little creature it was! It was so lively and frisky that Ricky’s eyes just twinkled when he looked at it. He would not give it a name until he thought up a real good one.
Yes, it was lively all right, too lively for its own good. Before it even had a name, it scooted under a fence and ran right onto the road before an coming car. Little calves, like little children, do not realize the danger of running off—and this one got hit Of course Ricky was very sorry about it. So was Teeny! She ran frantically this way and that, bawling for her calf, not stopping long enough to eat or drink.
Daddy decided something should be done about it. He went to a sale where they auction off cattle, and there he looked around for a day-old calf. At last he found one. It was a little coal black animal with a white face. He bought it and took it home to Teeny.
Teeny looked at it and took one sniff.
Did she want it? Of course not. It wasn’t hers. She kicked it into the corner and kept right on bawling and mooing as loudly as ever.
The poor little calf huddled down shivering in misery in such strange surroundings. It was frightened and was very hungry.
It doesn’t make any difference what color we are; we still know what hunger and fear and loneliness are, and we take courage when kindness and affection are shown to us. We do not expect animals to understand this—indeed many people do not—but God does. He created us, and He loves each one of us wherever we are. “Wisdom is justified of all her children.” Luke 7:3535But wisdom is justified of all her children. (Luke 7:35). Right at this moment He sees your heart; He knows all your longings and whatever troubles you or makes you downhearted or discouraged. He wants you to come to Him just as you are. He says, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:33The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31:3).
But somehow we are often like a little girl who used to go to Sunday school wearing rather shabby shoes and clothes, for she had no mother to look after her. When she saw other children there looking so nicely dressed, she thought God would surely love her much more if only she had shiny shoes and a pretty dress too.
But she was wrong, wasn’t she? God promises to be a Father to the fatherless. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” Ps. 27:10. Yes, it is the very ones who need Him most that can claim His special interest and care. And oh how He longs to have you draw near to Him now, just as you are. If you draw nigh to God He will draw nigh to you. He won’t push anyone away, as Teeny did the poor little calf.
When Daddy saw that Teeny would have no compassion. whatever on the little orphan calf, he decided to try a scheme. They took the hide off the calf that had been run over and tied it around the black one. This changed matters right away. Teeny sniffed a few times, and then allowed it to snule right up close and get its fill of nice warm milk.
It really looked funny to see Blackie frisking around with the loose hide flopping this way and that. But what was more surprising was that it made such a difference in the way Teeny treated it. She licked its little white face nice and clean and claimed it as her own. Before long the extra hide worked loose and dropped off, but by that time Teeny didn’t seem to notice the difference.
If fine clothes do not make us fit for God’s presence or bring us into favor with Him, what will? Some people try good deeds, church-going, and other ways to earn their way to heaven, but God says: “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6). Adam and Eve tried fig leaf aprons, but that did not hide their sin from the all-seeing eye of God. How gracious of God then to clothe them with coats of skins, showing them that the only way they could stand before Him was through the death of another. Of course we all know that the death of a little animal could never put away sin, but it told, in figure, of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Lamb of God who shed His precious blood upon the cross of Calvary to cleanse us from all our sins. All who believe are brought into favor with God, in Him.
ML 09/12/1954