The Question That Wouldn't Lie

Jesus speaks the truth always, because his authority comes from God the Father alone and can never be taken away; and when we find the courage to speak truly , like him , our hearts become free.

Tonight's story is inspired by Mark 11:27-33, the Gospel reading for May 30, 2026.

About Baa Baa Bible: Bible-inspired bedtime stories for children ages 3-10. In every story, Jesus is the gentle Good Shepherd, teaching us the lessons of today's Bible reading. All the other characters are lambs and sheep, a warm reminder that we are all part of his flock. 

Transcript

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Good evening, little lambs. Tonight's story is called The Question That Wouldn't Lie, inspired by the Gospel of Mark 11 2733. There is something worth knowing about tonight's gospel. Jesus is asked a very tricky question by some important-looking people who hope to catch him out. But Jesus, who always knows what is really inside a question, asks them something right back, and they cannot answer. Not because they don't know, because they are afraid to say what they know is true. And so tonight we are back on Shepherd's Hill, where Clover and her friends are about to discover what it feels like to say the brave, true thing. It started with old Wooly's quiz. He had brought out a small clay pot of lavender honey and announced that it would go to whoever answered his questions most honestly. The lambs gathered on the sunny slope, biscuit with her gold tuft sticking up, fig and mat in the grass, Pip with her enormous dark eyes wide, little bramble and nettle side by side, and Clover at the front, with her blue scarf freshly straightened. First question, said old Woolly, in his voice that was like a fire you could sit beside. Which of you ate the last of the blackberries this morning? A silence. Clover felt warmth creep to her ears. She had eaten the blackberries. She had been quite sure nobody saw. I did, she said. It came out smaller than she intended. I didn't mean to eat all of them, but I did. Old Wooly gave a slow, approving nod. Then came the harder question. Which of you thought it was wrong when Biskit laughed at Nettle's ear yesterday? And said nothing? A much longer silence. Clover's clover sprig drooped. She had been there. She had heard the laugh, and she had kept running, because she hadn't wanted to make things awkward. I did, said Clover at last. I knew it wasn't right, but I didn't say so. I was afraid of making it worse. Nettle looked over at her, her flopped ear twitched. Thank you for saying that, she said simply. It was a small thing, but it landed like a warm hand on Clover's heart. Pip, watching with her wide dark eyes, said softly, Why is it so hard to say the true thing, even when you know what it is? And that was when Jesus came around the side of the Hawthorne Hedge, unhurried, his shepherd's cloak, brushing the long grass, he sat down in the middle of their circle. Today, he said, I was asked a question by some very important looking people who already knew the answer. But they were afraid, afraid of what others would think. So they said, We don't know. When they did know, he paused. Saying I don't know when you do is a kind of hiding, and hiding keeps you stuck. What unsticks you? asked Clover. The true thing, said Jesus. When you say what is really in your heart, you become free. The weight lifts. He looked at her warmly. You felt it just now, didn't you? When you answered old Wooly's hard question? Clover thought about it, embarrassing for a moment, but now lighter. Where does your courage come from? asked Pip. When the true thing is hard? Jesus looked around the circle. My right to speak the truth, my right to love you, to lead this flock, does not come from what anyone thinks of me, he said. It comes from my Father in heaven, and no one can take it away. He looked at each of them. So I am never afraid of hard questions, and when you are afraid, you can ask my father too. The truth does not have to stay hidden inside you. Old Wooly's low voice said from the edge of the circle, a truth kept in is a wait, a truth spoken is a door opening. Evening was coming. Old Wooly set the little clay pot of honey in the middle of the group. I'm giving it to all of you, he said, because more than one of you told the truth today, and truth is worth more than honey. Clover straightened her blue scarf. Something lighter had settled in her chest, like setting down something she hadn't known she was carrying. She looked up at the first star appearing above the ridge of the hill. Thank you, she whispered. She was quite sure she was heard. Tonight we learned something brave and simple. Saying the true thing, even when it costs us a little courage, sets our hearts free. Jesus always speaks the truth, because his authority comes from his Father in heaven, and nobody can ever take that away. We can always ask him to help us find that same courage one honest word at a time. Dear Jesus, you always speak the true thing, even when it is hard. Help me to be brave like you, to say what I know is right, even when my voice is small. Thank you that your love for me comes from God and will not change. Amen. Good night, little lamb. God loves you so much. Sweet dreams.