You may have heard this story before. I apologize for its length, but it is one of my favorite Christmas tales. Recently I was had opportunity to tell an expanded version of this story at the 5th Annual Middleton Christmas Concert. The Story of the Imperfect Little Innkeeper.
A group of nuns ran a small elementary school in the mid-west. One year the nuns decided to put on a Christmas pageant. They went through the school and chose some classes to be choirs and sing carols, others to read Scripture and little stories.
The nuns looked at all the classes and they decided that the second-grade class would be the perfect one to present the Nativity Story. So, they gathered the class around and look at all the children. The nuns spotted one little boy who they thought would be the perfect Joseph. Then they saw a beautiful little girl that they decided would be the perfect Mary.
Off to the side were three little boys who would make perfect wisemen. They would have them bring gifts and tell Mary and Joseph what each gift meant. In the front row was a bright little girl with a shining smile – she would be the star to lead the wisemen to the nativity.
Another group of sturdy little boys were chosen to be shepherds, the nuns would give each one something to say to Mary about what the angels had said about the baby Jesus. The rest of the little giggly girls would be the angels who would sing songs to the glory of God
Off in the corner however, there was one boy who really wasn’t perfect for anything. He was a little bigger than all the other children, and a bit clumsy. He bored easily and would get fidgety and easily distracted. He often had trouble remembering the simplest of things.
He wanted to be in the play, but the nuns weren’t sure what to do with him. One of the nuns had a bright idea – let’s make him the innkeeper. He’ll be right at the beginning of the play, so he won’t get bored or fidgety or distracted. We’ll give him something very simple to do and say. When Joseph knocks on the door, we’ll have him open the door, say “NO ROOM!” and close the door.
For weeks the nuns worked with the imperfect little innkeeper. When Joseph knocked, he would open the door, say “NO ROOM!” and close the door. Over and over they practiced, “Knock, knock, open door, ‘NO ROOM!” close door.”
Finally, the night of the performance came. All the children were so excited. The nuns led the imperfect little innkeeper behind the door on the side of the stage and quietly reminded him what to do when he heard the Knock, Knock.
The curtain rose. Out walked perfect little Joseph and perfect little Mary. They came to the Inn’s Door. “Knock, Knock” The nuns held their breath. The imperfect little innkeeper opened the door, scowled at perfect Joseph and perfect Mary, and in a loud voice announced, “NO ROOM!” Then he shut the door. The nuns breathed again and gave silent high fives to each other backstage.
Perfect Joseph and perfect Mary turned to walk toward the stable and manger set center stage when suddenly the door of the inn flew open with a bang. The imperfect little innkeeper raced out, tears streaming down his face, “Wait, wait” he wailed. He grabbed the hands of perfect Joseph and perfect Mary and pulled them back toward the Inn, “Come in,” he cried, “You can have MY room!”
One day we will each stand before our Creator to give an account of our lives. I don’t think He’ll care what the sign says on the door of the place where we worship. I doubt He’ll have us recite the Doctrinal Statement for our Denomination.
I think he’ll have one question for each of us. When my son Christ Jesus came to you knocking, what was your response. Did you say, “NO ROOM!” Or did you, like the imperfect little innkeeper open the door, say, “Come in, you can have My room?” Those really are our only two choices, and how we choose will determine our eternity.
