December 15 (part 5)

The Little Star

Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there was a little star named Shine. She was so small she could hardly be seen. All the other stars were much bigger and brighter than Shine.

A night when people looked up at the sky, they saw all he big bright stars. But no one ever saw Shine.

One night Shine asked the other stars if there was some way she could twinkle and sparkle like them. But the stars just laughed.

“Oh, no, Shine. You are far too small.”

Shine felt very sad, and she began to cry. “No one ever sees me,” she said. “I wish I were bigger.”

Later that night the wise old moon saw Shine.

“Why are you so sad?” He asked.

“Because,” said Shine, “I try to twinkle and sparkle, but I am the littlest star in this whole big sky, and no one ever sees me.”

“Don’t be sad,” said the old moon. “How big or small you are is not important. Someday, somewhere, someone will notice you.”

“But when?” asked Shine.

The moon smiled and said, “Someday, somewhere.” And he went on his way across the sky.

Many years passed. Night after night, Shine shone, but no one ever saw her. Then one night something very strange happened. Shine began to fall from the sky! Down, down, down she fell.

Shine landed gently on the roof of a little stable. Everything was dark and quiet. The only sounds she heard were those of the animals. Shine felt very tired. She started to fall asleep and just as she began to doze, she heard a baby crying.

Shine looked inside the stable and saw a tiny baby lying in a manger.

“Oh!” she cried. “This stable is so cold and dark. Perhaps I can shine enough to brighten it up.” So Shine moved closer to the baby.

When the baby saw Shine and felt the warmth of her gentle rays, he began to smile. The more the baby smiled, the brighter Shine Shone! The whole stable glowed. It was a miracle.

As Shine grew brighter she began to rise. Up, up, up into the sky higher and higher, brighter and brighter. Everyone saw the magnificent star. Shine was now the brightest star in the sky. All the other stars looked happily at her. This was the moment she had always wished for!

And on that special night, shining over the little stable in Bethlehem, Shine was the most beautiful star the world has ever seen. Shine was THE SHINING STAR OF BEHLEHEM.