Barnaby the donkey shifted his weight, straw rustling beneath his hooves. “Honestly, the nerve of some humans,” he grumbled, his breath puffing out frosty clouds in the chilly stable air. “Turning up at this hour, expecting a five-star welcome!”
Bessie the sheep bleated in agreement, nudging her lambs closer. “And with a woman about to pop! Couldn’t they have planned this better?”
The chickens, perched on a rafter above, clucked and murmured amongst themselves. “At least they brought extra hay,” chirped Henrietta, the plumpest hen. “Always a silver lining.”
The stable door creaked open, and in stepped a young couple, the woman clearly struggling. Joseph, a kind-faced man, quickly spread out blankets and made a makeshift bed. Mary, his wife, lay down with a sigh, her face pale but serene.
Barnaby watched with growing concern. He’d seen births before on the farm, and this one seemed imminent. He nudged Joseph with his nose. “Need a hand, mate?” he brayed softly.
Joseph looked startled, then managed a weary smile. “Thank you, friend. Just keep your voices down, if you please.”
The animals watched in hushed awe as the baby was born. A tiny, perfect human, wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed gently in the manger. Bessie shuffled closer, her motherly instincts kicking in. “He looks cold,” she baaed, nudging the baby with her nose.
Suddenly, the stable door burst open again, and a group of shepherds rushed in, their faces alight with excitement. “We’ve seen angels!” they cried, “They told us about the baby! He’s the Saviour of the world!”
The animals exchanged astonished glances. A Saviour? Born in their stable? This was no ordinary night.
Henrietta, ever the pragmatist, flapped her wings. “Well, that explains the heavenly glow around the manger.”
Barnaby, his heart filled with a strange warmth, lowered his head in reverence. He knew this baby was special.
And Bessie, gently nuzzling the newborn, felt a surge of protectiveness. “He’s one of us now,” she bleated softly.
If those animals could talk to the children of today, they would tell them:
“We were there that night, in that humble stable. We saw the love in Mary’s eyes, the awe in Joseph’s face, the wonder in the shepherds’ voices. We felt the presence of something truly extraordinary. This baby, Jesus, is the Son of God, come to bring hope and love to the world. He is the King of Kings, born in the humblest of places, to show us that greatness can be found in simplicity and love. Never forget the miracle of that night. Jesus is the greatest gift, and He came for you.”
Leave a Reply