Reflections on the Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Sue writes:

One of our favorite Christmas stories is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Again this year we read it aloud for advent. And God is stretching us as He did the congregation in the story.

With the missionary who has discipled M gone, Jeff is the chief contact with this village leader of the Bung Bible study. M is such a sincere guy. He has great wisdom for a new believer. He also has lots of ups and downs.

Last night Jeff was showering about 9. I heard a little knock on our door. I ignored it. It came again. Since I was expecting a neighbor to come by to say good-bye before she left for Christmas, I opened it. It was M, with his wife D and their sleeping son.

The day before, a 3-year-old child had died in Bung village. The father was from Bung. The mother from Bunem Wo, just next door. The father’s clan (M’s clan) had never paid bride-price to the mother’s clan. So the mother’s clan seized its opportunity to renew demands for money. They have kept the father’s clan from burying the child’s body until some money is paid. The mother’s clan reinforced their claim by cutting down some banana trees belonging to the father’s clan. And saying they would start burning houses and ruining whole gardens if the money doesn’t arrive today.

M and D are part of the clan that has to pay up. They wanted us to give them some money. I thought Jeff was wise is saying he would give some money, but M and D need to do a service for us. They gladly agreed. We prayed about the situation together, and the couple was visibly relieved.

As they were walking out at 10, M brought up another problem he has. I was at my wit’s end. I just wanted them to get going. But Jeff listened a bit and said he’d consult with another missionary about the problem.

Then they did head out into the night. They had to walk a half-hour through the dark tea plantation to the place the wake was going on for the child.

What a gulf there is between us, kind of like the church in Best Christmas Pageant and the Herdmans. Like the church in the story, I have a lot to learn about really caring about others and seeing what difference the Christ Child in the manger makes today.

Like Gladys in the story said, "Hey! Unto you a Child is born!"

It should shake up our world.