“A star? How could it be?” my mind questioned as I gazed on the bright glimmer, hanging over my poor inn. Only one star lingered in the sky during the middle of the day. All week, visitors and citizens of Bethlehem sat and gawked for hours over this peculiar light. Many believed it was a sign of the Messiah coming to save us, and others had their own absurd ideas. But, one question sparked my mind, “How could my tiny inn be connected to this Messiah?” Just one baby, a father, a mother, and a star changed me, an innkeeper, forever.

It was dinnertime and my wife, Rebecca, was almost ready to serve supper to the residents and myself. The aroma of her fresh baked bread, reached noses beyond the hills. Unfortunately, before I could sit down to enjoy the meal, I had to tend to the visitor’s animals. As I walked to the stable, Roman soldiers stood in the street glaring at me. Chills crawled down my spine as I passed in front of them towards the stable’s entrance. As the gate opened, the familiar squealing of donkeys calmed me. Odors of sweaty mules and old hay, floated through the cracks of the mud-brick walls. My feet trudged through the wooden doorposts and I was welcomed by a host of happy animals. Carefully, hay was placed in a small, wooden manger sitting in the middle of the shed. Animals eagerly fled to the miniature trough for their share of food. As they feasted on their hay, my mind remembered the luminescent star. Nearby, people’s opinions of the bright light lingered in the air enhancing my concerns by the minute.


“Samuel, come inside for supper!” my wife yelled. Slowly, my feet plodded towards our dusty inn, but my eyes remained on the suspicious star. Just as I was about to reach the doorway, an elderly tenant, named Hezekiah, came and grabbed my arm.

“Look,” he pointed. Right in front of me laid charts of stars in the night sky. The elderly philosopher explained to me that all his life he had been studying about the coming Messiah. Prophets had been prophesying this coming for centuries. It was even written in our sacred texts.“ The King will be born of a virgin and will shepherd his people.” In a panic, I quickly dropped the scrolls and ran into my inn.

“What’s wrong Samuel?” my lovely wife urgently asked. I plowed right by her and sat down. My mind raced with questions.

“When would this Messiah come? Will my in and family be safe?” My life seemed to float by.

That night as I sat on my cot, uncertain of what events might occur. God and I conversed all night, but we were interrupted by a pounding on the door. In this day and age, people are hesitant to open their doors for fear of a robber or soldier may be standing on the other side. This fear prompted, Rebecca to hide behind one of the walls, but something in my heart moved me to feel peaceful. So, I calmly lept from underneath our wool blanket. Rebecca’s head peeked around the corner.

“ Please help!” yelped an urgent voice behind the wooden door. The door swung open and a bearded man with terror wiped across his face held his pregnant wife in his arms. The poor woman’s face dripped with sweat and pain.

“My wife is in labor and we need a place to rest. We have visited every other inn in this city and they are all full. Do you have a place for us to stay? My wife and I will accept anything,” he desperately pleaded.

“No, my rooms are all occupied,” my mouth sputtered, “but I have a stable in the back you may use.”

Without a word, the man rapidly laid his wife on a bed of hay in the stable. After seeing it was safe, Rebecca ran out to the well in the middle of the street and grabbed a bucket of water for the soon-to-be mother.

Throughout the night, the woman cried in pain. Her husband stayed by her side throughout the delivery. Amidst all the pain and anxiety, a tiny wail echoed from the stable. A new life was welcomed into the world. The lingering star from above released an intense light from the Heavens. An angel clothed in white garments gracefully floated down from the night sky.

“Hosanna in the Highest! The new born King has been born,” the angel declared triumphantly. Then it clicked, the prophecy, the star, and the baby. Hezekiah’s words flashed in my mind, “He will be born of a virgin and shepherd his people.” This was He, our Messiah. The one who came to save the world. Trembling, I walked to the new mother and father and fell on my knees in front of the child.

“God be with you and your family,” the new mother humbly thanked.

“It is I that should be thanking you,” I responded, “you have allowed me to partake in this child’s life.”

And the angel declared, “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will toward men.” Luke 2:14