The Best Christmas Story Ever Told

The reason he was born in a manger. Why she had to visit Elizabeth in the sixth month. Why she had to stay with her cousin Elizabeth for three months. Why Elizabeth had to hide herself for five months.

Why the wise men had to bring gifts especially gold. Why they named his cousin John. Why the angels appeared to shepherds. Why Joseph was chosen as the father.

‘Everything is clear now,’ Mary exclaimed with a start. With her bright but saggy eyes lightening up and her mouth agape, she let out a deep sigh that reverberated into the night.

With her six grandchildren, the children of Jose, James and Jude, huddled around her, she felt a special closeness to them. She had experienced deep sorrows- the loss of a beloved husband, the loss of two sons and a daughter.

But nothing had ever brought back those memories just like the question Jacob, Jose’s son just asked. ‘Is it true our father’s brother is different from all of us?’

It was Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights and it was a joyous celebration. They had sung merrily to the tunes of a song she just taught them:

“Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum, I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum, I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum. That’s fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, On my drum.”

Over a dinner of potato pancakes, sufganiyot and cheese, Mary giggled as her grandchildren ate to their delight. This was an event she always looked forward to. But this was going to be a memorable one as she was about to make good her promise given a year ago to tell her story.

“The distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about ninety-three miles and would have taken just about four days. But it took close to a week because I was heavily pregnant’, she started her story.

In those days, they would have passed through Samaria which was not safe due to the hostile relationship between the Jews and Samaritans. Joseph, her husband would not take that risk at all, though it would have made the journey faster.

So they had to meander through the east side of the Jordan River before coming to Bethlehem. Yes, the same Jordan River where Jesus would be baptized years later. He passed beside it while still in the womb and He will pass through it when He became thirty years.

Joseph had a supernatural mandate from Heaven and he must ensure nothing happens to the pregnancy until it is born. He had been carefully chosen for this purpose. He was a craftsman and not just an ordinary carpenter. He worked on stone, wood, metals and other difficult objects.

His raw hands had shaped quite a few stone sculptures. Is it any wonder he would be relied on to ‘craft’ the childhood of the Master Craftsman? He had built quite a few homes in his native village and had a reputation for hard work.

If you wanted to hew down huge timbers of wood, Joseph was your man. The toughness of his craft had toughened his physical appearance. He had such huge biceps and strong muscles with streaks of veins running through his upper body.

His shoulders were bent from carrying huge stones and wood since his childhood. But right now, it was as if the burden of eternity was placed on his drooping shoulders. Everything he had gone through had prepared him for this moment- the long walk to destiny.

The walk to Bethlehem over a course of eight days was not for the lily-livered. It was eight days that signaled the beginning of a new season for mankind.

He carefully positioned Mary on a donkey and braced himself for a long journey. He had saved money throughout that year to buy the donkey so that Mary would not have to walk to the market in her pregnant state. That donkey now had to go for the ride to Bethlehem.

Joseph could not afford more than a donkey so he let Mary ride while he walked. He was poor but he had a good heart. He had such a good heart that angelic visitation was the norm with him, though he was not a priest or prophet.

He was so good that he was not willing to demand for full justice when he discovered his betrothed wife was pregnant. What kind of a man is willing to take care of another Person’s pregnancy?

If he had as much has raised doubt about the legitimacy of Jesus’ birth, He would have been banished from the temple. He went down to Egypt for about ten years to protect what was not his.

He did not have enough funds for the trip as it was an emergency but God made divine provision available. The wise men from the East had just come with gifts especially gold that was sold to fund the trip and maintain the small family in Egypt.

He was willing to sacrifice his time and energy and also suffer personal deprivations just to obey God-even when it didn’t make any sense.

“I can never forget the long ride to Bethlehem”, said Mary to her grandchildren.

For starters, the pregnancy was delicate as it was her first and all hell was literarily released to ensure it was at best a still birth. But destiny cannot be miscarried. She had to stay with Elizabeth, her cousin for three months.

Recent medical knowledge would later reveal that the first trimester is the most difficult as this is the period when the baby’s full features are formed. Chances of miscarriage also reduces after the first trimester.

Elizabeth would help Mary through her own experience and make it easy for her. Mary found solace in Elizabeth’s company. Two women united by fate and destiny. Two women in similar situations- one pregnant in a mysterious way and another pregnant at a mysterious time. One out of place and the other out of time. They understood each other even when misunderstood by others. So, Mary only left after John was born.

After eight days, Joseph and Mary got to Bethlehem at midnight. Maybe it was the stress of the journey but by the time they knocked at the only travel inn in town, Mary was in great distress. She had been having persistent abdominal and lower back pain with cramps.

Mary and Elizabeth were women united by fate and destiny. One was pregnant in a mysterious way and the other, at a mysterious time. They understood each other even when misunderstood by others. Share on X

Her pelvis had been tightening and she had told Joseph she couldn’t hold on much longer. Between fits of pain which appeared and disappeared with each cramp, they trudged on until they got to the inn.

The inn-keeper, a chubby faced fellow, answered the door. He smiled at the young couple. Business had never been this good in recent memory. The whole building was fully occupied and there was no spare room.

Bethlehem was his home town but Joseph didn’t want to turn in to any family member. He already heard the snide remarks made at his back about how much of a fool he was and he was not willing to subject his family to more ridicule. He might be poor but he had his dignity.

So he turned back to the inn-keeper and made another passionate plea. That was when Mary’s water broke. With a shout of pain, Mary grabbed her sides and fell down.

“The only space I have is where I keep the oxen, sheep and goats who produce milk and beef for this travel lodge and where the guests keep their donkeys and asses,” said the inn-keeper. If only he had known who was about to be born, maybe he would have spared his personal room.

The stench of the manger meant nothing to Mary. In fact, she had no sense of smell at that moment. She felt her intestines were twisted and as if her bowel was about to be emptied. She felt every pull, tear and and stretch. Her body was drenched in sweat.

She lost sense of time as she was left with only Joseph who was confused and ran helter skelter. She drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness. She started shaking as she reached full dilation.

It seemed everything stood still. There was no midwife to assist them but all the hosts of Heaven were on attention.

But then she remembered she was there when Elizabeth gave birth to John and she witnessed it all- how she pushed, the way she managed her contractions, how she gasped for air and finally brought out John. Was that why God allowed her to stay with Elizabeth?

The angel said this was going to be a special Baby so maybe there was no need for earthly midwives. Can earthly hands midwife heavenly dreams? God wasn’t going to allow any human intervention.

With Joseph as confused as ever and the bleats of the lambs, sheep, oxen and asses drowning the intermittent cries of Mary, every puzzle started falling into place in her mind. The trip to Elizabeth.

Oh, the boy’s name was called John. Nobody in their lineage had ever borne such a name before. He was expected to be called Zacharias after his father. He was expected to follow his father’s footsteps and maybe become a priest like him. But God had other plans.

At least His ways are not our ways. It was a strange name but it was strange times also. There was no record of anyone bearing that name until John the Baptist came. He was called John meaning GRACE. Elizabeth hid herself for five months.

GRACE.

He would usher in a new dispensation of grace. His mother had been barren for a reason. He couldn’t have come until Mary was ready. Then the sixth month visit of Mary. The First Adam was created on the sixth day. Mary visited when it was the 6th month to signal the arrival of the Second Adam, Jesus Christ.

After what seemed like eternity and just when Mary thought she could not go through the pain anymore, the Baby came out head first. A flood of pleasure coursed through her body. Intense relief.

Then she surveyed her surrounding. She saw the ox- patient and long suffering animal. Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross and despised the shame.

She saw the ass- humble animal and willing to serve. She remembered the words of Jesus- “Take my yoke upon you for I am meek and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.”

She saw the sheep and remembered how His words rang out, ‘I am the Good Shepherd.’ She saw the lambs and also remembered how John addressed Him, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.’

Mary cuddled the baby and smiled. Now, the pain meant nothing. The place was also insignificant. All that mattered was this Baby. And it was the First Christmas.

(Originally written in 2014)

Bayo Adeyinka