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Good evening, little lambs. Tonight's story is called The Hay Over the Ridge, inspired by the Gospel of Matthew sixteen twenty one twenty seven. Tonight, Jesus teaches us that following Him is a real choice. It means putting Him first, even when the right path is the hard one. If we keep every easy thing for ourselves, we miss the life He wants to give. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses twenty one through twenty seven, that is what he says. And so tonight we're on Shepherd's Hill, where a wooden hoop still rolls in the grass, and two bundles of hay sit in the dust. The sun was low and gold. The easy meadow smelled like warm clover. Biscuit's golden tuft bounced as she nosed a wooden hoop down the slope. It rattled over the stones. Clover ran beside her, blue scarf flapping, the green sprig behind her left ear standing up. Boulder stood at the edge, tall, with wool the color of wet river rock. Last night he had put his big hoof on the low dusk rope so little Bramble could walk home, and he had said he needed Jesus. Tonight he wanted Jesus to stay right here, where the grass was soft, and nobody had to climb. Jesus came into the meadow with two bundles of dry hay, tied with twine. The hay smelled like summer, bits of gold stuck to his sleeves. I am taking this hay over the ridge, he said. He looked at each of them as if that lamb were the only lamb in the meadow. Marigold's stall is empty. She is the old ew whose gate latch stuck a few evenings ago when I walked to the far pasture to fix it. Night is coming, the steep path is the way. Biskit caught the hoop with her hoof. Can't it wait? The hoop is just getting good. Boulder stepped in front of Jesus. He took the edge of Jesus' sleeve in his teeth, gentle but sure, and tugged toward the flat grass. Don't go, Boulder said. Stay here. The hill is too steep. Play with us. Marigold can wait until morning. I just found you. I do not want you to walk a hard path. The hoop lay still. Jesus turned. He did not look angry, he looked steady, the way a shepherd looks when a lamb is about to step the wrong way. Boulder, he said, that idea would stop me from doing what I came to do. You are thinking the way lambs think. Keep the easy evening. God thinks of Marigold's empty stall. Do not pull me back, walk behind me. Boulder's head dropped, Clover's sprig tipped, old Woolly came up the slope, his silver grey fleece shining. Then Jesus said the plainest thing of the whole night. If you want to come with me, put down the hoop, pick up the hay, walk the steep path. The one who keeps the easy evening all for himself will lose it. The one who gives it away for my sake will find a better one. Clover set her hoof on the hoop so it would not roll, and left it there. She took the smaller bundle. The twine pressed a line into her wool. Biscuits tuft flopped, then stood up again. She took one side of Clover's bundle. Boulder lifted the heavy one. I will carry it, he said. I will not pull you back. They climbed. The path went up like a roof. Dust puffed around their hooves, the hay scratched, Clover's legs burned. Biscuit blew out a long breath. Nobody rolled a hoop, nobody turned around. At the top, Marigold's small shelter sat in the last light. The stall was bare boards, they spread the hay. It made a soft gold bed. Marigold lay down. She shut her eyes. The stall smelled sweet. Boulders stood in the doorway. I wanted you to stay so I would not lose you, he said. Jesus' voice was still plain. The way to stay with me is to walk where I walk, he said. This hay, this path, this is following me. Biscuit leaned on the stall rail. The hoop was fun, she said. This is better. Old Wooly's voice felt like sitting next to a fire. A game ends, he said. A friend with hay in her stall can sleep. Clover's sprig stood bright. The first star came out over the ridge, and so tonight we learned that following Jesus is a real choice. We put down what we want to keep, we pick up the hard right thing, and we walk with him. That is how we find the life he wants to give. What is one hard right thing you could do tonight, even if a game is more fun? And who could you walk with so nobody carries the hay alone? Let's close our eyes now, safe on the green hill, held by the shepherd who walks the steep path first. Jesus, help me put you first. When the right path is the hard one, walk with me. Amen. Good night, little lamb. God loves you so much. Sweet dreams.