It was a freezing night as we waited to take groups of people through the “Journey to Bethlehem,” which is a walk-thru nativity put on by a nearby church.
I was curious to see how the evening would go; interacting with all kinds of people and getting out of my comfort zone (did I mention it was also freezing cold? We guides looked like marshmallows with all our layers, plus Bible-time garb over everything.)
As I was leading my first group to scene 2, I realized someone was walking quietly right beside me. Looking down, there was a young girl, not more than 7 years old, wearing a bright red coat and trying to match my stride.
Smiling at her I asked, “What’s your name?”
“Katherine,” she replied with a sweet look up into my face.
At the next scene she huddled close to me. I could tell she was kind of cold, so I moved my lantern closer to her. “You look cold. Does this help?” I asked. “A little,” she answered but leaned closer to me than the lantern.
As I guided them through each scene, this young girl continued to follow me wherever I went. Which meant I had better be going the right way!
The last stop was the manger scene, and as we walked towards our destination, I felt a little gloved hand slip into mine- Katherine’s.
I’m afraid my first reaction inside was anything but caring. She hardly knows me, I look like a walking marshmallow, and yet she wants to hold my hand? I love kids, but isn’t she going a little far? How does she know I’m trustworthy?
Standing by the manger scene though, with her hand still in mine, a picture came to my mind. It was me feeling the hand of Jesus slip into mine. He was saying, “Katherine trusts you. You guided her to all the right places so she could get a picture of how I was born. Now, will you trust me to guide you?”
“Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” (Luke 9:48)
Thank you, Katherine, for your childlike faith in me. I wish I could be more like you.
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