The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light.

What to do with Wally? Wally was an awkward and shy child who belonged to the church kids club. It was time to hand out roles for the Christmas play, but what role should the teacher give Wally?

She decided on the inn-keeper. It was an important role, but required Wally only to shake his head and say one line "Sorry, we've no room." Wally grinned from ear to ear when he learned of his important role and he couldn't wait for the big night.

It arrived soon enough, and the play was proceeding according to plan. Mary and Joseph had travelled to Bethlehem and come to the door of the inn.

Joseph knocked on the door and it opened to Wally. "Please sir, do you have a room we could take?" asked Joseph. Wally shook his head and replied. "I'm sorry, we've no room".

Now the boy playing Joseph was a particularly confident child, and while the script called for him and Mary to turn away at this point, Joseph decided to exercise some dramatic license. "But sir" he said to the innkeeper, "My wife is about to have her baby and we need somewhere to stay. Couldn't you find us a room?" Wally's face went white - this was not planned for! - And he paused for a moment before repeating his line. "I'm sorry, we've no room."

"But sir" replied Joseph, "We've travelled such a long way and we've nowhere else to go and my wife is very tired. Surely you can find us somewhere." Wally bowed his head, shook it sadly and said, "I'm sorry, we've no room."

Forlornly Joseph and Mary started walking away. Wally, now fully into his role, felt shamed and saddened. A tear trickled down his cheek. Then his voice was heard calling out. "Wait! Please come back. You can have my room."

It may not have been according to script, but at that moment Wally gave perfect expression to the Christmas story.

What Wally does for us in this story is to bring darkness into light. 

Wally is able to adapt himself to the mystery and the unknown and the chaos of drama and through this be moved by the Holy Spirit.

Wally does what we all pray for in following Jesus……stop……..I will move out so you can have my room.

Luke’s Gospel is often referred to as, “The Hospitality of God”.  Wally is doing everything that Luke would want.  He is being hospitable.

The Christmas story tells of the birth of a new king, a new kind of king.  The birth reveals a new world order, a world not under Caesar but under the direction of God’s design for redemption of all peoples. 

In this world, God’s Word is heard by the humble.  God has not forgotten us or abandoned us to the brokenness we have created.  The story of Christmas is both an announcement of hope and a call to humility.

The story of Christmas is about having the humility and the emotional wisdom of Wally to be able to say, "Wait! Please come back. You can have my room."

Happy Christmas and New Year.

Edward Dooley (Mission and Faith Leader)