Through the Eyes of a Stable Boy

I am the stable boy at the Bethlehem Inn in Jerusalem. It was my job to take care of the camels and donkeys of the guests in the Inn. I would take the camels to the stable and securely tie them in a stall and see that they had hay to eat and fresh straw on which they could bed down for the night. This was a very busy night in the Inn. It was the time when the emperor had decreed that everyone must return to the city where they were born and register for the new taxes that were to be collected. Many people were returning to Bethlehem to register. The Inn was about full. In fact, I had only one stall left in the stable. I had already filled the manger with hay and spread out the straw in the stall.

I went back to the Inn to bring back another camel or donkey. A young couple had just come to the Inn to find lodging. I heard the man say that his wife was about to have a baby. They had travelled a long way that day and needed lodging. I saw a sad look come over the Innkeepers face. He told them he had just rented the last room in the Inn. He could not give them a room. The man who said his name was Joseph pleaded with the Innkeeper, and finally the Innkeeper said: “The only thing I can do is put you up in the stable.” At least you will be out of the cold. I will have the stable boy put down some extra straw so that you can make a comfortable place to sleep. I can also give you some extra blankets to keep warm. The young couple decided that this was probably the best they could do, so they accepted the innkeepers offer. It was my job to take them to the stable and make them comfortable.

I soon discovered that this was a very tired family. They had come a long way that day. In fact, the donkey was so tired that he did not want to move another step. The young woman who sat on the donkey was not only very tired, but she seemed to be in deep pain. Her husband had told the innkeeper that she was about to give birth to a baby. The husband was also so tired I wondered if he could make it to the stable. I took some sweet sugar cane that I carried for this very purpose. I placed a piece of it in the donkey’s mouth. I held the second piece just beyond his nose and I managed to bribe him into walking to the stable.

I dragged in several extra bundles of straw. Soon, one of the maids came from the Inn with a sheep skin and some warm woolen blankets. We soon had a nice comfortable bed fixed for them. Fortunately, it was not a very cold night and with all the animals, the stable was quite warm. I even shoved several bundles of straw into the open doorway of the stable shutting off some of the draft. Before I left, the husband had taken a Bedouin blanket and placed it over the hay in the manger preparing a place to lay the baby when it came.

I was now through with my work. The stable was full. The animals were all fed. It looks as though our human guests could take care of themselves. I went over to the large pile of straw on the east end of the stable and I prepared to sleep in its soft, gentle reaches. I was used to sleeping on a few bundles of straw, as I have done so ever since I was stable boy. As I tried to sleep, I noticed how quiet it was. The animals were all bedded down for the night. The family seemed to be preparing for bed, and they moved ever so quietly. I fell asleep rather quickly, but I did not fall into a deep sleep. I slept somewhat fitfully. At one time I thought I saw a big flash of light. I was not sure whether I had dreamt it or if it really happened. A little later I thought I heard voices singing, but then again, I was not sure if I really did or if I was just dreaming.

I woke up very early as I usually did. It was time to make the rounds and feed the animals. They were already making their noises. There seemed to be a restless spirit about the stable. I thought I would check on the family first. Lo and behold, while I was sleeping the wife had given birth to a little baby who was all tucked in the Bedouin blanket in the hay manger.

It was a large manger, made to hold food for two animals. The mother was half sitting and half lying in the hay in the manger her body almost completely surrounding the baby. They seemed so excited and happy. They were also so thankful for the little things I had done for the night before. They asked me if I did not want to see the baby. Before that I had not come near because I was not sure what to do.

I had not seen a newborn baby for a long time. I was the youngest in our family, so I did not see any of my brothers and sisters when they were born. I was surprised at how small newborn babies really are. He had dark hair and a brownish complexion.

While I was looking at him, he suddenly opened his eyes. I saw the most beautiful brown eyes and they seemed to look straight at me. I also noticed the beautiful hands of the mother. Her fingers were long and thin. They seemed to move and touch him with such gentleness. I thought: “Those hands must have done many loving deeds.” Then I noticed that the baby had the same long fingers, and his hands too spoke of gentleness. I thought: “Surely this one, born in my stable, will grow up to do many loving deeds.”

While I was standing there a group of shepherds came bursting through the door. They were all excited. They said they were minding their flocks in shepherds’ field, when suddenly the Angel of the Lord appeared to them in the sky and told them that the Messiah the Son of God was born in Bethlehem town, and they would find the baby in the stable behind the inn. When the angel stopped speaking a whole choir of angels appeared behind then and they sang the most beautiful song: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill towards men.”

When shepherds sit around the fire at night, many of them carve little treasures out of the acacia wood that is abundant in the desert area. Each shepherd seemed to carry a bag of treasures that he has made with his own hands. As each shepherd knelt before the baby, each one took a special treasure from his bag and laid it at the child’s feet.

Not long after they left, some Magi from the East came to the stable. They told how they had been travelling for many days, following the star that the astronomers said was the natal star of the Messiah. They too brought rich and beautiful gifts to lay at the baby’s feet.

One brought a gift of gold. The other two brought rich spices—frankincense and myrrh. As each one of them came to the baby they knelt and pledged their allegiance to him as the new King of the Jews.

Just then I thought that I too must also give him a gift. I remembered the beautiful star of David that my mother had given me when I left home, to remind me I must always be true to the God of our people who delivered us from bondage in Egypt so we could be his people in the world. This was my most treasured possession, but this was my King, and I must give him my richest gift.