star of the show

One year, in the week preceding Christmas, a school was getting ready to do its Christmas pageant. One little girl came home from school extremely excited the day they received their parts.

"Mommy! Daddy! I got the most important part in the pageant!"

"What was it, Mary?"

But she wouldn't tell them, just talked on and on about how important her part was. She was so excited that she bounced rather than walked for the entire week preceding the pageant. Her parents chuckled, but didn't curtail her excitement.

Finally the night of the pageant arrived. Mary's parents sat in the audience while the older grades performed their songs and skits. Finally, it was time for the kindergarten class to perform their part.

The teacher walked up to a podium at the side of the stage. A little boy and girl walked on the stage and stood in the center, while next to the teacher children pretending to be shepherds and sheep arranged themselves. When all of the children were situated, the teacher began to tell the story of Christmas.

First, she spoke of the journey to Bethlehem from Nazareth. While she spoke, the children playing Joseph and Mary walked to a little stable that had been constructed from cardboard. When the time came for Mary to have the baby Jesus, a baby doll was produced and laid in a manger - also fashioned with cardboard and filled with construction paper "hay". Then the teacher spoke of the star that rose over the stable.

Little Mary walked onto the stage, holding a big silver star. She stood behind the manger, holding the star so that it would mark the place where Jesus lay.

The teacher then spoke of the angels that appeared to the shepherds, and how the shepherds found the stable. Little Mary walked over and led them to the baby Jesus with the star. When the time came for the Magi to journey to the baby as well, Mary went over and led them to the baby as well. Once the Magi had given their gifts to the baby, all of the children from the program came and gave their final bows.

On the way home, Mary's mother turned around in the car and said, "You were right, Mary. You were quite literally the 'star' of the show with that big sparkling star."

Mary said in a very matter-of-fact tone, "That's not why I was the most important part."

"Then why was your part the most important?" her dad queried, looking at her with the rearview mirror.

Smiling broadly, she responded, "I was the one who led everyone else to Jesus!"

Oh, the innocence of children. May we lead others to Christ this Christmas season. Merry Christmas!

-enna