The Wise Shepherd, The Brave Shepherd and the Fearful Shepherd

This year I wrote a short Christmas play for the kids in our Sunday school.

It had to be short, we only have six students.

Casting was easy, with three boys as shepherds,

one  big girl as the angel,

one tiny girl as Mary  and one tiny boy as Joseph.

I also made it easy by writing lines appropriate for their personalities.

We rehearsed, but I concentrated on making them remember

the general idea of the line, not expecting word perfect recitation.

If a line was too confusing, I made it shorter.

If they didn't understand it, I changed it.

It had to be easy for them to become the characters.

No Sunday school kid was going to get an ulcer on my watch.

Remember how nervous you were when you performed in the Christmas

program in front of the whole congregation?

I wanted them to have fun and enjoy their first performance.

The Wise Shepherd is instructing his younger helpers on caring for the flock.

He warns them about trouble within the flock;

if a mother abandoned her baby they would have to

 become the mommy to the lamb.

He warns them about trouble outside the flock

and the need to guard against lions and bears.

The Brave Shepherd isn't afraid of anything.

He has a sling just like David.

The Fearful Shepherd, the youngest of the group,  was afraid of everything...

...lions and bears,

the Caananites in Bethlehem,

  sin and the Messiah.

After being informed

"the soul that sinneth it shall die"

 he was afraid of dying.

The Wise Shepherd assures him that he doesn't need to be

afraid of dying from his sin, 

because the Messiah is coming to save

people from their sin.

 

When the angel appeared, they were all afraid.

The Fearful Shepherd taunted the Wise Shepherd

for trembling in fear.

After hearing the angel's proclamation,

the Wise Shepherd commanded them to follow him to Bethlehem.

Under protest and confusion,

"You told us to never leave the sheep!"

"Should I bring my slingshot?"

they followed the older, wiser shepherd.

They all worshipped.

Then they rushed out and told the entire congregation about the newborn King.

As the shepherds called the people to come and worship,

 we closed by singing,

"O Come All Ye Faithful."

I was thrilled with the students.

They all remembered their lines,

nearly word perfect,

 were loud enough to be heard,

and caused the older people to laugh, worship and adore.

It was especially gratifying to hear the first words

out of the kids' mouths after the performance~

"Can we have another play?"

While the thrill of succeeding warms their little hearts,

I'm still thinking about their call to worship.

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.