On this day in 1830 Sarah Hale wrote the familiar children’s song, “Mary Had A Little Lamb.”

For many, this is the first nursery rhyme that they can remember from their childhood. And for countless others, it’s the first simple tune played when learning a new instrument. Hundreds upon thousands of school-age children can repeat the familiar lines, but does anyone know anything about the author?

Sarah Josepha Buell was born October 24, 1788, in Newport, New Hampshire. Self-educated, at age 18 she became a teacher in Newport and worked there until 1813, when she married David Hale, a lawyer. When he died nine years later, she was a 34-year-old pregnant mother of four who rose to become one of America’s most successful women writers and editors.

Despite her many accomplishments (including successfully lobbying for the establishment of Thanksgiving on the final Thursday of November), Sarah Hale is least known as author of the rhyme “Mary’s Lamb.” In 1830, American composer Lowell Mason, who had introduced music into American schools’ curriculum, asked her to write lyrics for him. He chose eight of her poems to include in his songbook, one of which was “Mary’s Lamb.” The popular rhyme was then published for decades in McGuffey’s readers, the most important schoolbook of the century.

A simple verse, based supposedly on a real Mary who brought her lamb to school, has had an amazing and long-lasting impact on children since its first publication. Likewise, other things that seem small and insignificant have made a huge impact in the world.

Jesus used the image of a mustard seed—the smallest seed a farmer used at that time—to illustrate how God’s kingdom grows. God takes faith that may seem small and insignificant and gives it eternal importance.

When you feel that your faith is small or that what you are doing is of little importance, remember Mary’s little lamb and the mustard seed. It doesn’t take much to make a big impression.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches” (Matthew 13:31, 32).

To Do

The next time you sing or hear “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” think of another Mary and her little lamb, Jesus, the Lamb of God.

Also on this day . . .

1543—Nicolaus Copernicus published proof of a sun-centered solar system.

1930—Amy Johnson became the first woman to fly from England to Australia.

1983—The Brooklyn Bridge’s 100^th birthday was celebrated.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.