There are times we have to make difficult decisions. We're put on the spot-what should we do? Let's take a look at Sangu, a young lion from the book I AM A Lion! And see what happened to him when he had to make tough decisions.

Sangu's dad and mom loved him and they wanted to help him become wise and strong. But whenever Papa would try to teach him how to hunt, he would always complain, "My friends don't have to work so hard. Why do I have to?"

Whenever Mama tried to teach Sangu how to use the sky as a map so he would not get lost, he was never interested. "My friends don't have to learn this boring stuff," he would always complain. "Why do I have to?"

"You are a lion," Mama would say. "You need to pay attention so you can learn to be a leader, instead of acting like your fiends."

But Sangu would never listen; he just wanted to play. One day, while Mama and Sangu were searching for food, they met a baby rhino. "Hi there!" said Sangu.

But when the little rhino saw Sangu, she screamed, "Help! Help!"

Suddenly, from behind a bush came a giant rhino thundering toward them at full speed. Before Mama Lion could spin around, the big rhino picked her up with her horn and threw Mama Lion against a tree. Then the rhino turned toward Sangu.

Mama could hardly move, but she wanted to protect her son. So she cried out, "Run Sangu! Run!"

Sangu wanted to help Mama. But when he heard Mama yell "Run!" he ran as fast as his little legs cold go. Sangu was out of breath when he stopped at the edge of a mountain.

"Whew!" said Sangu. "I'm so glad I'm safe!"

But when he looked around, he realized he did not know where he was. He was lost. Now he was alone and scared. "Oh, how I wish I had listened to Mama when she tried to teach me how to use the sky as a map," groaned Sangu. "Now I can't find my way home!"

Sangu sat down on a rock and cried. But just below him some gazelles were feeding on the side of the mountain. When the gazelles heard Sangu crying, they stopped and listened. "Why is the little lion crying?" asked one of the gazelles.

"I don't know," said another.

"Why don't we go and try to help him?" suggested one of the young gazelles.

The kind gazelles walked over to Sangu.

When they got to him, one of them asked, "Why are you crying?"

Sangu wiped his eyes. "I lost my papa and mama, and I don't have any place to go."

The Gazelles felt sorry for Sangu. "You can stay with us," they said.

"Thank you!" said Sangu. "I'd love to stay with you."

Sangu was hungry, and when he saw snake, he wanted to eat it. "Eat grass!" insisted the gazelle. "That will make you strong and healthy."

Sangu ate the grass, but it tasted awful. When Sangu played hide and seek by climbing up a tree, an older gazelle demanded, "Sangu! Get down from there right now! It's dangerous to climb trees. You could fall! Don't ever again be so foolish!"

From then on Sangu stayed on the ground like his friends. When a young gazelle asked, "Why do you look so funny? Your feet are big, but your legs are short. Your body is small, but your tail is long."

Sangu hung his head in shame. He was embarrassed. "That's because I'm a lion," he whispered.

One day when Sangu wanted to protect the gazelles from a pack of hungry jackals, the gazelles yelled, "Stop! Run away as fast as you can!"

Sangu spun around and followed them up the mountain as fast as he could go. Another time Sangu and the gazelles were having a wonderful time. Sangu became so happy that he let out a great big "Roarrrrrr!"

The gazelles jumped for fright.

"Don't ever do that again!" they yelled. "That sounds terrible! You never hear us making sounds like that!"

Sangu hung his head in shame and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Then one of the gazelles scolded him, "You've just go to stop being so foolish! You need to learn to act like us!"

"What's wrong with me?" asked Sangu as he bowed his head and crawled away. "I'm different, I'm foolish, and I'm funny looking."

Sangu began to cry. "Everything I do is wrong. Why did I have to be so foolish and roar? I'll never do that again!"

However, the faint sound of a roar that echoed through the jungle had reached the ears of Papa and Mama. His parents came running. They were so glad to see him. As they were walking home, Sangu told Papa and Mama what happened to him. Then Sangu bowed his head and asked, "Why am I always doing the wrong things, and why am I so funny looking? My legs are short, but my feet are big. My body is small, but my tail is-"

"Stop right there!" roared Papa.

Sangu jumped, he was so startled.

Then Papa looked straight into Sangu's eyes. "Sangu, you're not a gazelle! You're a lion!"

The Papa said, "There's nothing wrong with you, Sangu. You've just been hanging around with different friends. You can't let others who don't know you tell you who you are."

The Mama explained, "Gazellas don't know anything about lions. But we do. That's why you should listen to us."

Papa stood up straight and said, "Lions don't eat grass. We hunt. Lions aren't afraid of height. We climb. Lions don't run away from their enemies. WE face them." Then Papa said with a loud and strong voice, "And Sangu-"

Sangu looked up, and this time he listened. "You are a lion! Don't ever be ashamed of who you are!"

Sangu moved next to Papa and Mama. He raised his head, stuck out his chest, and took a deep breath. Then he let out a loud roar that thundered throughout the mountains, "I AM A LION!!!!!"

That's the trouble with many Christians-they listen to their friends instead of doing the things that they know they should. Instead of being bold for the Lord and standing for what's right, many are wimps. They do what everyone else is doing.

A true believer is never ashamed of Christ. Every believer should boldly declare: I AM A CHRISTIAN!!!! Are you one of those who can say that?

God's Word says we must love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. There's no question about it, it takes a strong person to live for the Lord. Any wimp can live for the devil. What can you do about that-simple: repent of your failure and then ask the Holy Spirit to empower your life to live boldly for the Lord. Here's a promise: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)

(To read more secular and Bible lessons for each Another Sommer-Time Story visit www.AdvancePublishing.com. You will need to click on "Free Resources" then "20 Character Education Lessons" to reach the appropriate web page.)

Editor's note: Carl Sommer, the author of this wonderful story, hs generously gifted our readers a chance to win 40 prizes! The ten apple winners will each receive four of his hardback, highly illustrated character storybooks AND four matching read-along CDs. So, let us know what you think of this story and be sure to count those apples! This issue the apple prizes are too good (and numerous!) to be missed!-TOS Mag

Carl Sommer, a publisher and popular children's author, publishes and writes books and CDs on virtues that stress the importance of good character. Happily married since 1955, Sommer has five children and thirteen grandchildren. His books can be found at www.advancepublishing.com/homeschool and they can be purchased at a substantial discount at www.booksdiscounted.com. His email address is carlsommer@advancepublishing.com