Bible Reading: Luke 2:8-20

“Time to leave!” called Mom.

“I’m almost done with this level,” said Timothy, eyes glued to the computer screen.

Mom stepped into his bedroom. “Get dressed now,” she said. “We don’t want to hold up the pageant rehearsal.” She hurried down the hall, calling for Timothy’s little sister, Gabby.

“I don’t see why I have to be in the Christmas pageant,” muttered Timothy. “I’m just a dumb shepherd, anyway.”

He dug a brown robe from a pile of clothes and pulled it over his head. He looked at himself in the mirror. “Boy, I hope no one from school sees me wearing this!”

Timothy walked into the kitchen, tugging at the rope wrapped around his waist. “This costume is itchy. Do I have to do this?”

Mom was struggling with Gabby’s angel costume. “Stand still, honey. These buttons are hard to see.” She blew a wisp of hair from her face. “We’ve made a commitment, Timothy. We can’t let everyone down. Besides, you’re in the pageant every year.”

“That’s just it,” said Timothy. “It’s the same old thing, every single Christmas. A bunch of shepherds, a few wise men. It’s not like we’re telling a new story. It’s boring!”

Mom stood up. “Come here, Timothy.” She held out her arms and hugged him.

“I know you don’t want to do this. But some things can’t wait. Some stories need us to tell them–over and over again, right now!”

“But I’m just a shepherd,” said Timothy. “They’re not interesting. Not like the angels.” He pointed at Gabby. His little sister smiled and twirled in her angel costume.

Mom straightened Gabby’s halo. “The angels’ job was to tell the shepherds about Jesus’s birth. The shepherds were the first people to learn and spread the word that God had sent Jesus as a Savior to the world!”

“That is pretty cool, I guess,” said Timothy.

“It sure is,” said Mom. “And did the shepherds say, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem in the morning, when it’s light outside’? No. Did they say, ‘Let’s find someone to watch these sheep, and then we’ll go to Bethlehem’? No! They said, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem now!'”

“Okay, Mom,” said Timothy, heading for the door. “I guess we do need to get to church. To tell the story of Jesus–now!”

–Jennifer Dillard

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