A Ray for Reuben
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Reuben played softy on his reed flute while his grandfather
Old Nathan, his rough cloak whipped by the chilly breeze, rubbed his weary legs and stared into the darkness, his keen eyes keeping watch over the bleating flocks that dotted the valley. His older brother Caleb lay on his back, his curly head on his crossed arms and gazed into the star-strewn sky over Bethlehem. Other shepherds strolled among the sheep, staffs in their hands and slings in their belts, eyes alert to shadows and ears alert to sounds that may well be a bear or a pack of wolves.
It had been a long day of leading the flocks of boisterous rams, timid ewes and frisky lambs. Dry twigs crackled, sparks flew and the flames of the campfire roared, danced and leapt. The wind blew across the valley bringing the odour of moist wool and wood smoke.
Old Nathan took out two small
cloth-wrapped parcels from the sheepskin bag slung across his shoulder and
un-wrapped them. “Caleb, share this with Reuben,” he said breaking off a piece of flatbread and some cheese.
“I’m hungry!” announced Reuben laying aside his flute and holding out his cupped palms.
“Oh! I thought you were lost in your music,” laughed Caleb, munching hungrily. “I was, but not enough to let you have my share!” retorted Reuben with a chuckle.
Old Nathan smiled lovingly on his grandsons.
“Grandfather, you stay here with Reuben and try to get some sleep I will take the first watch over there with Abel and Aaron,” said Caleb stuffing the last crumbs into his mouth and reaching for his staff and the pitcher of water.
“Can’t I come with you? I promise not to wander away and what’s more I can help
you stay awake with my music,” Reuben asked imploringly.
A look passed between Old Nathan and Caleb.
Then, clearing his throat, Old Nathan spoke softly “Reuben, it’s been a long day and I’d like to rest, so why don’t you and your music keep me company?”
“Oh! Grandfather you never let me go with Caleb and the other shepherds on the night watch! It’s so unfair!” Reuben muttered stamping his bare feet.
“Listen to grandfather, he knows best,” Caleb sternly spoke throwing his thick homespun cloak around his shoulders and striding downhill.
“Reuben, don’t be angry, let me tell you about the stars out tonight,” Old Nathan spoke gently reclining, drawing him close and wrapping a fleecy sheepskin around him.
Soon little Reuben was lost in the starry world his grandfather was describing to him.
The night grew still and colder, the embers of the campfire glowed, and the sheep were quiet except for an occasional ‘baa’. Reuben was fast asleep and
Old Nathan nodded. The shepherds keeping watch spoke in low murmurs, rubbing their drowsy eyes.
“Look over there!” exclaimed Caleb nudging his partner Aaron and pointing at the sky over the hill, “look at that big bright star!”
Aaron roused himself and stared
open-mouthed, “Where? What did you say? Star?”
“Hmm, it’s got a tail too, so it must be a special star,” replied Caleb excitedly. “And maybe it foretells a special event. I have heard that a new star means the birth of someone important, like a future king.”
“I know nothing about stars or about special events or about kings and they mean nothing to us illiterate shepherds. Our job is to look after the flocks, and provide the perfect lambs to be sacrificed in temples into which we cannot even step in, as we are filthy, smelly, unclean and of the lowest class in society,” Abel spoke solemnly.
He was younger than Old Nathan but the oldest of the watchers and had been a shepherd all his life and knew a thing or two.
Aaron and Caleb continued to stare at the star that seemed to blaze more brightly and soon the heads of most of the watchers were upturned.
“Enough of being star-struck! We cannot afford to be careless and lose any sheep! Keep your eyes open for wolves and thieves,” commanded Abel.
Caleb leaned closer to Aaron and whispered, “Something tells me, tonight is special.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth when a bright light bathed the hills and filled the valley.
“Eh! What’s happening? What’s that?” shouted Abel.
The sky opened, sweet music floated on the air and a beautiful being with shimmering wings appeared in the bright light.
“An angel!” Caleb whispered nudging Aaron.
Terrified the shepherds fell to the ground covering themselves from head to toe with their cloaks while the disturbed flocks bleated loudly.
“What’s happening, grandfather?”
asked Reuben who was wide awake.
“Let’s wait and see,” mumbled Old Nathan rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Don’t be afraid!” the angelic voice spoke.
Caleb tremblingly raised his cloak a wee bit and squinted into the light. The angel seemed to be looking directly at him.
Then in a loud voice that seemed to overflow the valleys and echo around the hills, the angel said, “I bring you good news of great joy for all people. Today, in David’s town of Bethlehem, your Saviour – Christ the Lord, the Messiah– is born! This is the sign, you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
One by one the shepherds unable to believe their ears, uncovered their heads wondering who had sent this message to them and why. And who this strange ‘Saviour’ was who would bring the joy of freedom to all the world.
Suddenly, the light seemed to grow brighter and a host of angels burst into song praising God and pouring a blessing upon the earth and all mankind.
“Glory to God in the highest heaven! Peace on the earth and among all men!”
The shepherds watched in awed silence until the light and the music faded and the angels flew up into the sky.
“Let us go at once to Bethlehem! I want to see this baby!” exclaimed Caleb his eyes sparkling.
“Yes! Let’s go,” chorused many more eager voices.
“If we are all to go to see this baby, who’s going to look after the sheep?” asked Abel raising his brows. “We cannot abandon them here at the mercy of wolves and thieves. Surely you know that?” he continued grimly.
“God sent His angels to us with this message and He wants us to go and see this baby,” piped Reuben, who had come down with his grandfather.
“You keep out of this Reuben,” said Abel kindly, tousling His curly head.
“Please, Uncle Abel, He is a special baby, remember the angels called Him the Saviour of the world and they gave us a sign too,” begged Reuben tugging on Abel’s arms.
“Yes, yes, I was listening, I know,” said Abel irritation creeping into his voice.
Turning to Old Nathan, Abel asked, “Brother, what do you think?”
Smiling broadly, he replied, “There is nothing for us to think, it is crystal-clear that this baby is special. Yes, He is the
long-awaited Saviour who will free His people from all that robs them of freedom, peace and joy. I have lived a long time, Abel and I have heard a thing or two, and it was said that God promised to send a deliverer and I think… no, I know, He has and we must obey and go to Bethlehem and find this baby.”
“But.. but.. the sheep…” spluttered Abel.
“Don’t worry. God will keep the night watch over them. Let us go”.
“But where in Bethlehem will we find this baby?” a voice asked out of the darkness.
“Where do you find a manger?” asked Old Nathan with a smile.
“In a stable, of course!” Reuben shouted joyfully pulling on his grandfather’s arm.
“Let’s follow the star,” grinned Abel pointing at it with his staff.
Through the dark silent narrow streets of Bethlehem they hurried, the star leading them on, until it stopped over an abandoned stable whose door hung on a broken hinge and creaked in the wind.
The flickering light of the clay lamp drew their eyes and minds to the tiny swaddled new born baby that lay asleep in the hay-filled manger. They crowded in, gazing on him with reverent awe and fell to their knees trembling with joy and
tear- filled eyes.
“I’m Joseph from Nazareth and this is my wife, Mary. We came to Bethlehem for the census. There was no room in any of the inns and so our baby is born in a stable,” said Joseph coming forward to greet them with a warm smile. Mary, who was reclining on a bed of straw, raised herself. Seeing Reuben who was by the manger, softly playing a lullaby on his flute, she asked softly,
“What is your name, dear?”
“I’m Reuben.”
“Well, Reuben, would you like to carry Baby Jesus?” Mary smiled.
“I‘d love to! May I, please?” gasped Reuben grinning and laying aside his flute.
“Here, hold out your arms like this…”
“I know, I’ve carried lambs, you see,”
he smiled, tenderly holding the baby
in his arms. Very gently, he kissed.
Baby Jesus’ brow and he opened his beautiful brown eyes and looked deep into Reuben’s own sightless golden-brown eyes.
At that moment Reuben felt a warm glow spreading slowly into the deepest depths of his eyes, the darkness gradually lifting, and then he saw clearly the sweetly smiling Baby in his arms, the tall broad shouldered Joseph, the thoughtful but happy Mary, the dirty dim stable, the cattle in the stalls, and for the first time in his life his beloved grandfather Old Nathan, his strong brother Caleb, hardworking Uncle Abel and the other shepherds.
As the star of Bethlehem shone its radiant rays into the stable lighting it up with a heavenly splendor, Reuben whispered, “Thank you Baby Jesus,
Thank you for healing me, Thank you for giving a ray for Reuben.”