The Littlest Angel

The littlest angels always make the Children's Nativity.

Technically she was correct. It was her baby.

Sunday we had the Children's Nativity. It is the time the children dress up as the characters of the Nativity. It is an important way to teach children the story of the birth of Christ. As they grow up, they play different parts in the scene.

The angels were children under the age of five. Each was adorned in white with angel wings and of course there was a halo. It is hard to get little boys under the age of five to understand the halo concept. Some of them ditch the halo.

Our littlest angel was a two year old little girl filled with energy. Things went well in making the announcement to the shepherds. Although as the angels were waiting, there were moms trying to keep the little hands out of the baptismal fountain near by. When the announcement came, the one angel went to her place. Then when the whole heavenly hosts were cued, all of the angels took their place.

It was this point that the angels really took the stage. They were to go over across the stage and stand behind Mary and Joseph. Most of them did make the trip however a few wandered back to their mom. The littlest angel made it over to Mary and Joseph and discovered the baby Jesus. It was HER doll.

When a two year discovers HER doll in the midst of many boys and girls, it is time to make it clear who this belongs to. Yes, you guessed it. She immediately went over the manger and picked up baby Jesus and boldly proclaimed, "MINE! MY Baby!" holding the baby by its toes. Now in some churches, this little angel would have been attacked by the shepherds or wise men, but not ours.

The mother of the littlest angel convinced her that the baby belonged in the manger. After proclaiming loudly once more, "MY BABY!" the littlest angel put the baby in the manger--head down, toes up. Now one could argue that at some point maybe Jesus did in fact pull his toes out of the cloth and pull his toes up. Babies do that. It is just not quite the picture of the Nativity that we have.

It was a joyful moment at The Well--the Nativity.

I have thought about this and concluded that the littlest angel was there to teach us all something very important. Oh how God longs for each of God's children to go to the manger and proclaim to the world, "This is MY baby! This is MY Savior!" I think God would love that moment even if we didn't hold the baby correctly or put the baby back. Jesus was born not to be looked at with sentimental eyes, but to be grasped and claimed. The littlest angel knew that baby was hers.

The Savior is born--for you.

The Children's Nativity is already on the 2010 calendar. I can't wait to see it!

Pray for me as I pray for you.

In the Master's Name,
Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

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