By Robert Clements
The Greatest Story Ever Told..!
Two thousand years ago a wise old angel looked at a little angel, and offered his divine wings to wipe the tears in her: yes, “Why are you crying little angel?” he asked kindly. It was unusual to see weeping in the heavenly realm and he was a little uncertain how to deal with such.
“It’s a week before Jesus will be born on earth,” she sniffed, “And I just heard He is going to be born in a manger!”
“Yes indeed,” said the wise old angel, “That is the greatest story that will ever be told!”
“Our God in a cattle-shed!” exclaimed the little angel stamping her feet, “When His birth should have been in a palace, in a five-star hotel maybe?”
“Ah, my little angel, our God is escaping the five-star hotel they have tried to lock him in,” said the wise old angel, “and is going to be available for all mankind! Look and see where they have kept God till now!”
The little angel, tears still falling from her yes, looked down at earth, and saw pharisees walking around, “Look at them,” said the wise angel, “Everything they do is done for show: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long!”
“With no God in their hearts!” whispered the little angel.
“They have become keepers of the fold,” said the old angel, “Their duty is to keep others out! And, if Jesus were to be born in one of their temples or palaces, they would do the same with Him. Keep Him as another showpiece for themselves while looking down on others who don’t wear their tassels, phylacteries and their hair in ringlets! Like..”
“Fishermen!”
“Tax collectors!”
“A Samaritan woman with five husbands!”
“Adulterous women!”
“Even a dying, repentant thief!” sighed the wise old angel.
The wise old angel and the little angel, looked down from heaven in the year 2023, “Now why are you crying little angel?” asked the wise angel.
“Because the keepers of the fold have moved from Bethlehem and Jerusalem to all over the world,” she said, “Their tassels have been replaced by churches and religious trusts with signboards saying, “Jesus belongs only here!’ Their phylacteries with the scorn and derision they use when calling others demons and devils! Nothing has changed!”
‘A lot has,” said the wise old angel, “You remember our Lord telling them the story of the prodigal son?”
“Oh yes,” said the little angel.
“Those who keep others out, who think they are holier than others, are the elder brother,” said the wise old angel, “But unlike the younger brother who went in and feasted with his overjoyed father, these keepers of the fold will never join that feast!”
“And the feast,” whispered the little angel, smiling, “Is the heaven we both are enjoying!”
And where did the greatest story ever told start taking place dear reader? In the realms of heaven where a worried and frustrated God looked down at a sinful earth and wondered what more He could do. ‘I created those men and women so that I would have company. I created them in my own image, so we could be like one family, but look at them, just look at them now!’ And all the angels, and saints and others looked down with God, and saw the wickedness below. ‘I parted the Red Sea for them. Rescued them from Egypt. Gave them manna to eat, water to drink. Made them victorious in wars
Did miracles. What more do they want?’
An old angel, maybe Gabriel or Michael, must have slowly gone to God and whispered, “Whip them Lord, thrash them, beat them, kill them. Send a flood and finish them off!” But God paced up and down and finally whispered, “There’s only one solution to know what is wrong, I will have to go down and find out!”
And God came down on Christmas! He came as a baby, born in the poorest place where animals were kept, lived with ordinary people like you and me, and found out what was wrong.
I think the first sounds he recognised was the sound of his father Joseph the carpenter’s tools. Day in a day out he heard Joseph hammering and sawing, and must have realised how hard he worked, and then listened, to the sounds of customers who did not pay Joseph in time. He must have seen days of no business too. What did Jesus understand from that? ‘Jesus,’ I told the businessmen, ‘God understands the struggles as you build a business. He understands your cries to him as a customer doesn’t pay or when there’s no business for you. Take that problem to Him!’
What else did Jesus see? He saw a mother struggling make both ends meet. And you mothers and wives as sometimes you struggle to bring up a family. Jesus understands. He knows and listens to your prayers.
Then he went to Lazarus’s grave and what did he do? He wept! He understood grief. The grief of losing a friend. Today that same Lord can wipe your tears away and comfort you, because he knows what grief is.
He understood the Samaritan woman at the well, and the woman caught in adultery. The world of men laughed at them, but Jeus understood they were survivors, and forgave them. In fact, he made the Samaritan woman an evangelist who brought many people from her village to Him
He also understood how we are pulled down by people who discourage us. When Jesus started preaching, people laughed at him saying, “Can any good come out of Nazareth?” they chuckled. Do people laugh at you and say, “Can any good come from you?”
And he knew what betrayal was. For three years his twelve disciples walked with him, preached with him, healed with him, and finally one betrayed him. So, those of you who have been betrayed, Jesus came down and knows what you are feeling. As we celebrate Christmas, please remember dear readers that ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told,’ is about God being born as a baby in a cattle shed, not in a palace, so that he could know more about you and me.
We are part of the story..!
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