Between the Lines
Lots of stories are written or told because there is something special about them in the heart and mind of the storyteller. But for some reason or another, that something special goes unwritten or untold.Between the Lines has been created to let you inside the shirt, so to speak, of author and storyteller, Tom Lutz. Why was that story embedded in his memory? What lessons did he learn? How did that story shape his life-view? Did it impact him for better or for worse? As Paul Harvey used to say on his radio commentaries, “And now for the rest of the story.”
The Spotless Lamb—“Imagery” between the lines
This story in A Taste of Freedom, is about the death of a little white lamb. Snowy died because I didn’t obey the owner. He had said not to go too near or touch the lambs in his farmyard. But when he wasn’t around, I did anyway. I scared their mother, Mary, who fled with her little ones to avoid my effort to pet them. Snowy ended up getting swept away in swollen floodwaters in a stream nearby. The little lamb’s neck was broken when it crashed into a rock. The sheep’s owner, Mr. Johnny, loved Mary and Snowy like members of the family and was terribly saddened because of the loss.
Later, as I was riding home with my dad after the disaster, my heart ached. Snowy had died a terrible death and Mr. Johnny was deeply hurt because I didn’t obey him. Through sobs and being oh, so sorry, I told it like it was. “That Lamb died because of me, didn’t He.”
Later, as I was riding home with my dad after the disaster, my heart ached. Snowy had died a terrible death and Mr. Johnny was deeply hurt because I didn’t obey him. Through sobs and being oh, so sorry, I told it like it was. “That Lamb died because of me, didn’t He.”
Did you notice the capital “L” on Lamb and the capital “H” on He? What happened in this story really serves as a spiritual parable. In the Old Testament, God required the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb to atone for a person’s sin. If I lived under that law, I face the reality that there aren’t enough lambs in the world to cover all the sins I’ve committed—especially when Jesus said, as my mother paraphrased, “To think it is to do it!”
Well, God answered that inability to ever be able to atone for all my sin. He was and is both grieved and hurt because of my disobedience. So He sent His Son, the Lamb of God, to pay the price. Jesus, the unblemished---perfect—Lamb. Yes, that Lamb did indeed die because of me.
Well, God answered that inability to ever be able to atone for all my sin. He was and is both grieved and hurt because of my disobedience. So He sent His Son, the Lamb of God, to pay the price. Jesus, the unblemished---perfect—Lamb. Yes, that Lamb did indeed die because of me.
The Hitchhiker—“Lessons” between the lines
This story from A Taste of Freedom relates an experience I had hitchhiking as a teenager. The woman who picked me up had just been released from prison. She was tough and worn, a poor driver without a driver’s license, used language that I heard only in the football locker room, no place to go, no family or friends to greet her when she got out of the big house, only $20 in her pocket, . . . Scared me to death. Caused me to edge closer to the passenger door.
But deep down inside Lorna—that was her name—was kinda nice. She even drove me to my door instead of letting me off in the middle of town. After I thanked her for the ride and we said our good-bys, she smiled, wished me good luck, and drove off. I waved and she waved back, heading to nowhere in particular.
But deep down inside Lorna—that was her name—was kinda nice. She even drove me to my door instead of letting me off in the middle of town. After I thanked her for the ride and we said our good-bys, she smiled, wished me good luck, and drove off. I waved and she waved back, heading to nowhere in particular.
That night I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling with my hands behind my head. I hardly felt the football pains of the day. Instead I thought about a lady who had all kinds of aches—under the skin kinds of aches—and I had missed a God-given chance to help. All of a sudden, the Scripture that I had heard so many times got real close and personal.
Jesus told a story about people being welcomed by the King of Kings. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you came to visit me, I was in prison and you came to see me.”
A bit puzzled, those whom the King welcomed wondered when they had done all that for the King. His answer? “When you did these acts of caring for others, you did it for Me!”
Jesus told a story about people being welcomed by the King of Kings. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you came to visit me, I was in prison and you came to see me.”
A bit puzzled, those whom the King welcomed wondered when they had done all that for the King. His answer? “When you did these acts of caring for others, you did it for Me!”