Being a donkey

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3 : 30

Christmas is synonymous with nativity. And this nativity gives a start-up for dramas of nativity. Who knows who was the first having the idea of putting in scene the birth of Christ, but this first passage gave birth to several inspiration of other people. Even if every single one of those had his own style, all of them have common characteristics: angles with muslin wings, three mages and their gifts, coming from far away. An innkeeper who was tired and who chased Mary. A wide-eyed Joseph, a haystack from the crib. And Mary, tired and gentle says: “I think, that the birth will be for today”. 

Under a hanging star, a baby will be born, angels will sing, the magic kings will fall on their knees and children of all ages will go home and say to their parents that next year, they want to play a role in the show of nativity. Little boys want to be Joseph, little girls want to be Mary. Some of them want to carry wings of angles or carry gifts coming from far away. Others will even propose to be though-heart Herod or even the annoyed innkeeper.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John 3 : 30

But, as far as I know, there is not even one voluntary who wants to play the donkey. This is very strange, because there is no greater honor than of doing what the donkey did? He carried Jesus on his back. I know, Joseph is more beautiful and Mary is magnificent. The mages have particular hats on their head and the angles have their halleluiah. And the donkey? He stands apart and eats his hay.

But have a look to him. Don´t you see the satisfaction in his big brown eyes? A sort of satisfaction on his face? He carried the most beautiful gift of history on his back! Even before Santa Claus had his sleigh and before UPS had their trucks, God had a donkey. The donkey had for sure the biggest part in history enabling the choir to sing “A child is born and a son has been given to us”.

“There is no greater honor than of doing what the donkey did. He carried Jesus on his back.” 

I know, I know. We would prefer Joseph, being robust and bearing a beard. We would prefer Mary, faithful, beautiful and immaculate. But there is really a need of someone being the donkey. I think that it is a good thing to be a Christmas donkey. The Christmas donkey did his job. He has carried Jesus so that Jesus could deliver us. He walked, he did not gallop, he did not run away. He did what donkey do. He walked with a firm step in the direction his master indicated. And at his arrival, he just stepped apart. He did not ask for any thanks; he did not expect any compensation. He is not even mentioned in the bible.

He was happy to do his job and to leave to Jesus all of the attention. Perhaps this Christmas donkey could also give us some lesson? There is always a place in nativity for somebody going forward without expecting any applause, who carries the weight of a long trip and who carries the one who carries us.