A Christmas Story to Share

Wally Purling was in the second grade even though he was nine years of age and should have been in the fourth grade. He just had difficulty in keeping up with the other children his age, but all his classmates liked him, even though he was big and clumsy and slow in movement and mind. He was always helpful and willing, smiling and happy and the natural protector of the underdog.

Each year the school presented the traditional Christmas pageant and this year Wally was assigned an important role. After all, Miss Lumbard reasoned, the innkeeper did not have many lines, and Wally’s size would make his refusal of lodging to Joseph even more forceful.

On the night of the performance, Wally was so caught up in the magic of the night that he stood in the wings and watched the pagenant with such fascination that from time to time Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn’t wander on stage before his cue. Then came the time when Joseph knocked hard on the wooden door set into the painted backdrop.

“What do you want?” Wally said, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.
“We seek lodging.”
“Seek it elsewhere.” Wally looked straight ahead but spoke vigorously. “The Inn is filled.”
“Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and are very weary.”
“There is no room in this Inn for you.” Wally looked properly stern.
“Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife Mary. She is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired.”

At this comment the innkeeper relaxed his stern stance and looked down at Mary for the first time. There was a long pause that made the audience a bit nervous and the prompter whispered from the wings, “No! Begone!”

“No!” Wally repeated automatically. “Begone!”

As Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary and the two of them started to move away, the innkeeper did not return inside his inn. Instead, Wally stood there in the doorway watching the forlorn couple with his mouth open, his brow creased with concern, and his eyes filling unmistakably with tears. And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all the others.

“Don’t go, Joseph,” Wally called out. “Bring Mary back.” And Wally Purling’s face grew into a bright smile. “YOU CAN HAVE MY ROOM!”

May each of us make room for our Savior this Christmas Season, just as Wally Purling did.
Merry Christmas to each of you!