> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://oldravensforest.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Chapter 2 - The First to Arrive - URL: https://oldravensforest.com/the-first-to-arrive/ - Published: 2026-09-29T17:13:02.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-29T17:13:02.000Z - Author: Chris Wall - Tags: Stories, Barty Badger, Mr. Mole > In [Chapter 1](https://oldravensforest.com/builders-and-adventurers/), we learned that being with Jesus means that we can be all together even if we're different. But did you know that Jesus made it that way on purpose? It's true! Read Ephesians 2:8-10\. Barty Badger told me this story that helped me to understand. One day, as the legend goes, Mr. Mole was definitely *not* on an adventure. He was a Builder, and Builders did not get along with Adventurers. He didn't understand the appeal of adventures, anyway. Why go through all that huffing and puffing, getting muddy and sweaty, just to do one thing, turn around, and come home again? That was Mr. Mole's Rule Number 4: "Better to stay put and enjoy the forest around you." Mr. Mole liked his rules; they made things make sense. On this particular day, Mr. Mole stood in a clearing with his paws on his hips, staring at a giant tree that had crushed a newly built house. *His* newly built house. The covered veranda, the al fresco dining area . . . all flattened. Then Old Raven said there was a Winter TornaCaneIzzard coming, and they all needed to build a giant shelter for all the animals of the forest and beyond. But Mr. Mole didn't even have his *own* house! How was he supposed to build one for others, especially animals he'd never even met? A chilly wind blew through the clearing and Mr. Mole grumbled, "I was gonna have a hot tub." Mr. Mole kicked the tree and grumbled. Just then, that Adventuring Badger trundled up. "You again," said Mr. Mole. "I thought you went out to find more animals. You only left 5 minutes ago." Barty puffed his chest out, and said proudly, "I am an amazing adventurer and adventurers *always* help, so when I saw this poor snail hurrying slowly down the path, I had to help." Barty opened his paws and showed Mr. Mole the snail. The little snail piped, "Uh, a giant black bear saved me." Barty deflated. "Fine," he said. "I was two minutes outside this clearing when Old Raven handed me the snail." The badger set the snail down on a rock and went back out to find more animals. Mr. Mole crossed his arms and looked at the snail, noticing her beautiful shell. "Quite the house you've got there," he muttered. Mr. Mole brought his eyes right up to the snail, admiring the craftsmanship. "Who built this?" he wondered out loud. "Uh, nobody," the snail said. "I mean, I didn't. It was a gift." Mr. Mole grumbled and stepped back. "I have to build a house for the whole forest! Must be nice to get one for free." "It *is* nice," said the snail with a smile. "I didn't build it, but I do get to live in it." *Huh*, Mr. Mole thought to himself. He walked over to the big tree and kicked it again. Solid rockoak. "Too big to move. Too thick to cut." he said. But then he looked at the snail with her house right on her back. What if the tree could be like the snail shell? "Well," said Mr. Mole to the snail, "if you don't know what to do, do what you know! That's rule number 25\. I'm going to dig a burrow under that log." So he bent down to start digging right under the middle of the giant fallen tree. There was a stone sticking up out of the dirt that he tried to move, but it wouldn't budge. He cleared some dirt away from the side and saw that it went down a long way. Putting his mole-claws to work, Mr. Mole dug and dug down and deep, following that stone. But it wasn't just any rock. It was carved stone blocks laid with mortar . . . it was the foundation of another house, buried there under the soil for who knows how long. Mr. Mole cleared the dirt away and discovered that the stone foundation would hold up the fallen tree as he cleared out the burrow! With that foundation in place, he realized he could build so much more. He started to hollow out a space with the tree above him, just like a snail shell. He expertly excavated a spiral staircase plus a ramp down into the cozy shelter. Next came a chimney, an oven, and a lovely reading nook. And then he found *another* foundation wall, seemingly placed on purpose. He would have to make a new rule, something about if you find a good work already started, you keep it going. Another cold breeze blew across the clearing. Mr. Mole turned around to see the snail hurrying slowly down the ramp. Just after her came a chipmunk, an otter, even a beaver, all looking for shelter from the storm. Mr. Mole looked around the shelter he didn't start and moved aside to let even more animals in. Well, that's what the legend says, but I know one thing is true: if you find a good work already started, you keep it going. 💡 Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." God made you on purpose! He wants you in particular to be in the world. Not only that, but he started good things for you to do. Just like Mr. Mole found that foundation already laid and then kept digging, the Holy Spirit will show us what God has already started and help us discover how we can keep the good work going. [Read the Ephesians Series](https://oldravensforest.com/series-index/)