Little poem has power, special meaning today

Sometime ago I was handed a powerful little poem that impressed me. As I read it, I noted it had a significant application to the age in which we are living, particularly in light of the events that have transpired in some of our nation's schools.

Mary had a Little Lamb

Mary had a little lamb, his fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go.

He followed her to school each day when it wasn't against the rules.
It made the children laugh and play to have a lamb at school.

Then the rules changed one day, against the law it became
To bring the lamb of God to school or even speak His name.

Every day got worse and worse and days turned into years and
Instead of hearing children laugh and play you heard them crying tears.

What must we do to stop the crime that's in our schools today?
Let the lamb come back to school and teach our kids to pray.

About 2,000 years ago, John the Baptist, the one who heralded and proclaimed the imminent coming of Jesus Christ our Savior, stood along the Jordan River when Jesus came on the scene, “Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 (NIV). The only thing that Jesus takes away from us is what's bad. But what He gives to us is wonderful. The lamb gives peace. The lamb provides hope. The lamb assures security for eternity. The lamb imparts love that prevails.

The Rev. Paul Killingsworth serves as pastor at Yuma First Assembly.