A story on the theme of Luke 2.8-20

Theme: Jesus comes to us as we are -- ordinary, even messy people and asks us to let him value us and use us.

“Hurry! Hurry! Maria! cried her Aunt Eva, “Come help us! We’re ready to give Grandma her birthday present.”

Maria was at her aunt and uncle’s house with all her cousins and aunts and uncles. They were there to celebrate her grandma’s birthday. Maria thought she remembered that it was number 75 for her grandma. That was 70 more years than Maria who was just 5 years old.

Her aunt had told her when Maria and her mom and dad arrived that sometime after dinner and before dessert -- which was going to be a cake with lots and lots of candles on it...well, before dessert all the grandchildren were going to bring in Grandma’s present which was a beautiful new dress that her Aunt Eva had made. 

Now the time had come, but Maria wasn’t ready. Maria wanted to be all cleaned up and wanted to change from her play clothes back into her party dress. she was afraid that her grandma wouldn’t like it if she was dirty.  She and her cousins had put on their old clothes to play in the back yard while the adults were finishing the dinner dishes. They had gotten pretty sweaty and dirty and now there wasn’t time to change. They only had time to wash their hands under the hose that Uncle Abel was holding outside in the back yard and to dry them with the towel.

Maria felt so bad and so embarrassed to be so dirty for her grandma, but Aunt Eva needed her -- right then -- so she put down her head so her grandma wouldn’t look her in the eye and took hold of part of the dress and marched into the living room with her other cousins holding their part of the dress while all her aunts and uncles sang happy birthday to her grandma.

Her grandma was so surprised. She was so happy she just glowed. She took her dress and held it up and then grabbed each of her grandchildren and gave them a big hug and a kiss.  “Yuck,” thought Maria, “We’re all so dirty and smelly, but Grandma is so happy that nobody seems to notice.” And Maria felt happy, too -- and very proud that she could help make her grandma happy.

Sometimes it doesn’t matter at all that we’re messy -- when we’re picked to do something so special.