Bummer Lambs
He came into this world like all other lambs. Except for one thing, Joey was a bummer lamb. The sheep industry has defined this term as a lamb that, for some unknown reason, has been rejected by it’s mother at birth. Once a ewe rejects one of her lambs, she will never change her mind. Sharon Niedzinski tells of this heartbreaking experience as a new shepherd. Joey was one of three lambs born to to this ewe. The ewe had accepted the other two lambs but refused to allow Joey to even get close. Every time little Joey would approach his mother, she would butt him away, and every time, a little harder. The new shepherd watched in tears as Joey was butted so hard that he hit the side of the barn. Sharon relates: “By now his head was hanging so low that I thought something was wrong with his neck, but it was his spirit. Then he started shivering, clamped his mouth shut and would not even lick the milk that I offered to him. I knew he had given up.”
Why does Joey’s story strike a chord in our heart? It’s because at some point in our lives, we too have experienced rejection. Studies have shown that the same areas of the brain that process physical pain also become activated when we experience rejection. This is one reason why rejection hurts so much. Even long after an emotionally painful experience, we can relive and re-experience those moments more vividly than we can relive physical pain of the past.
The word rejection dates back to the 1400’s. The original meaning was “to throw” or “to throw back”
A bummer lamb is often weak, or crippled. In that case the mother has no sympathy for it’s lamb. And if we look around, there are many who are spiritually and emotionally weak. How can you spot someone who is weak? Surprisingly, these people are found on both ends of the emotional spectrum. Some are withdrawn into themselves, while others are aggressive and prone to anger. If you’re not convinced that rejection can produce anger, consider that out of 15 school shootings between 1995 and 2001, investigators found that rejection was present in all but two of the cases.
So let’s all take an important assessment here. If someone has withdrawn themselves behind an emotional wall, or if they are constantly lashing out in anger, you may very well be looking at a rejected lamb.
Another thing to note is that a bummer lamb will sometimes refuse your help. Like Joey who refused to take milk because he was so emotionally wounded. The risk of helping someone is also a risk of being hurt by that “someone.”
The shepherd explained to her children that Joey had a slim chance of surviving. If this bummer lamb were to recover, it would be through lots of love and affection. The shepherd took Joey in her arms and held him close. Then she carried him into the house and prepared a bottle of milk. As she held it to his mouth, Joey slowly opened his eyes. A short time later he began to suck the bottle on his own and the children began to clap and shout words of encouragement.
This kind of love gives us an insight on how we should love our own “bummer lambs”. What had Joey done to deserve such love? What could he possibly do to repay the debt of love? Just like the shepherd, our sacrifice for others should not be viewed as a debt owed but as a free gift of ourselves and our resources.
Acts 20:35 says:
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Joey got his name when he began to live with the shepherd’s family. The children carried him around like a baby. Even their German shepherd would lie down next to him and gently lick him all over, just like a mother. Apparently, she could also sense Joey’s desperate need for love. After several days, Joey began to perk up. Like a child, he followed the shepherd everywhere she went. At night, she would place him in the laundry room. Once morning came, Joey would literally jump for joy when he saw his master. Like a bouncing ball, he would keep jumping until the shepherd would catch him midair and hold him close. But the shepherd knew that Joey could not stay in the house forever. At some point, Joey had to face the real world. The day finally came when Joey was taken to the barn and back to the sheep world.
Keep in mind that Joey was still a bummer lamb. And in the sheep world, there are no adoptions, foster parents or baby sitters. If he ever approached a ewe with her babies, he would be kicked away. But this time, the rejection didn’t affect Joey like before. This time, he had the love of the shepherd inside of him. While the other sheep were engrossed in their own world, Joey always responded with enthusiasm when the shepherd would enter the pasture. As the shepherd noted, “Joey carried himself with a regal demeanor never seen before in sheep world.” Once a reject, now Joey was an adopted member of the shepherd’s family.
I encourage you to search out a bummer lamb like Joey. They are everywhere! Sitting on our church pews, standing in line at the grocery store, on the job etc. Bummer lambs need someone to believe in them. If these weak ones aren’t rescued, they may never have a decent chance of survival. I’m sure you know who your Joey is. My prayer is that these troubled lambs will experience the Great Shepherd’s love flowing from you and into their hurting heart.