The Lonely Donkey-- Part Four

That night Donkey observed a strange thing in the stable. A man in shining white clothing stood before Joseph and said to him, "Thou must rise and flee from this place tonight, for Herod is seeking to kill your son, Jesus. Leave this country immediately and go to Egypt. There he cannot find you." Donkey blinked his eyes and the stranger was gone. He was astonished. Who was the man and where did he go? Was Joseph really going to believe him? Apparently he was for Joseph began packing the linen and waking Mary and the baby.

Quickly he saddled Donkey and lifted Mary to his back. Then he bent and tenderly picked the baby up and handed him to Mary. Donkey was thrilled from the tips of his long ears to the hard curves of his tiny hooves. Besides taking Mary, which he was very glad to do, he also got to carry the baby Jesus. No longer did he have to stand in the stable and just admire him, now he was going to do something for him. He was going to carry him to Egypt to save his life.

Joseph and Donkey walked rapidly through the streets of Bethlehem. The stars were very bright in the sky, especially a large bright star that seemed very near to the earth, and always shone before them. The wise men had mentioned a star, maybe it was the same one. Anyway, Donkey hoped so.

Very soon this little group reached the top of the hill near Bethlehem. Joseph stopped a moment to get his breath and Donkey looked around. Everything was quiet and peaceful up here. His heart was calm, and Donkey realized something he had not noticed for a long time. Of all things, when he looked at Mary and Joseph together; here he was, all by himself, and he hadn’t been lonesome at all. Not the least little tiny bit. Come to think of it, he hadn’t been lonesome since the night the family came to Bethlehem. That was the very night little Jesus was born.

Donkey turned his head and looked at the baby in Mary’s arms. Jesus again seemed to smile right at him. Donkey would have smiled back, if only he had known how to smile. He loved the Christ Child with all his heart and you know, he knew he would never be lonesome again, now that the wonderful baby had come into his life.

The end, or is it just the beginning?