He Gave

HE GAVE

Luke 23:44-49

STORY (p)

Once upon a time, there was a big fluffy rabbit with two big ears and a huge fluffy tale. A cute rabbit. An innocent rabbit. Normal in every respect except it was the hugest rabbit that anyone has ever seen. Biggest eyes anyone had ever seen. Biggest feet anyone had ever seen. A big ol’ rabbit. This rabbit decided to take a walk down the street of his town. It was a nice day for a walk.

The rabbit started down the street and was enjoying his walk. He greeted his neighbors and they greeted him. He got to the end of his block and the neighbor that lived closest to him was sitting in his front yard… just sitting there in the grass looking dejected and sad. “What is the matter neighbor?” the big ol’ rabbit asked.

The neighbor looked up with sadness. “I have had a run of bad luck. Now I know it was my own fault. My wife left me. My children don’t like me. My truck broke down. Even my dog died. Yes my life is a sad country music song.” Now as the neighbor was telling the tale of his woes and bad luck, he began to get a small smile on his face.

“Gosh,” the rabbit said in response, “I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could do.”

“Well,” the neighbor said getting up on his feet and eyeing the rabbit’s feet, “you know rabbit’s feet bring good luck. Everybody knows you are the biggest rabbit ever and so the good luck one of your feet would bring me is worth two lifetimes.”

The rabbit stared.

The neighbor stared.

“Yes I will.”

With that, the neighbor cut off one of the rabbit’s feet and reveled in his newfound luck. He went back in his house as happy as he could be leaving the three-legged rabbit in his front yard. The rabbit hopped on three legs down the street and continued his walk through the town. More neighbors saw him and greeted the ol’ rabbit.

The rabbit got a few blocks down the street and some other neighbors were on their porch. They were crying and trying to console one another. “What is the matter neighbors?” the big ol’ rabbit asked.

The neighbors looked up with tears in their eyes. “Our roof is leaky. Every time it rains the water leaks into our house and drives us crazy! We cannot fix our roof. It drizzles. It drips. It drops. A big rain is coming tomorrow and we don’t know what to do!” Now as the neighbors were explaining about their roof, they began to get small smiles on their faces.

“Gosh,” the rabbit said in response, “I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could do.”

“Well,” the neighbors said getting up on their feet and eyeing the rabbit’s ears, “you know your ears are the biggest rabbit ears ever. One ear could cover the front of our roof and the other ear could cover the back of our roof. We could cover our roof with your ears and our roof would not leak.”

The rabbit stared.

The neighbors stared.

“Yes I will.”

With that, the neighbors cut off both of the rabbit’s ears and immediately slung them over their home to cover the leaks in their roof. They went back in their house happy as could be leaving the three-legged no-eared rabbit in their front yard. The rabbit hopped on and continued his walk through the town. More neighbors saw him and greeted the ol’ rabbit though some began to stare.

The rabbit continued his leisurely walk down the street though now it was much more difficult. The rabbit slowly went down the street and came to another townsperson at their mailbox. She was getting her mail and was just shaking her head in despair. “What is the matter neighbor?” the big ol’ rabbit asked.

The neighbor looked up with sadness. “I have a cleaning business to run and I just don’t make enough to pay my bills. I could work harder, but that would not help. I am just stuck and just can’t run my business in a way that is profitable. My bills are all coming due and I cannot pay.” Now as the woman was telling the tale of her business woes, she began to get a small smile on her face. “Gosh,” the rabbit said in response, “I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could do.”

“Well,” the woman said coming around her mailbox to the wounded ol’ rabbit, “you know you are the biggest rabbit anyone has ever seen and your bushy tale is the biggest and bushiest. I could use your tale to clean lickety-split and my business would be profitable.”