Joseph: Hi everyone, my name’s Joseph and I’ve been asked to tell you the story of the most incredible thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m an ordinary carpenter from Nazareth, in –
Donkey: [off stage] Ahem (coughing loudly).
Joseph: What was that? Anyway, I’m an ordinary carpenter
Donkey: Ahem – Hee-haw
Joseph: What’s that? [Looks back]
Donkey: [Pop up] It’s me. I didn’t want you to forget about me. Everyone always forgets about me. They don’t even say that there is a donkey in this story …
Joseph: I wasn’t going to forget about you … anyway, you don’t come into the story yet … Sorry everyone, where was I? Oh yes, I’m an ordinary carpenter
Donkey: And I’m his ordinary donkey …
Joseph: Yes, he’s my ordinary donkey … Anyway, I’m
Donkey: Ahem!
Joseph: Ok, we’re from Nazareth in Galilee, the north of the country. I was excited – I’d just got engaged to Mary, a beautiful girl from the village, so my head was full of plans and preparation – I was beginning to build the home we’d live in when we got married, and I made sure there was enough room for us, and God-willing, our children.
Donkey: Hee-haw
Joseph: What?
Donkey: You’ve forgotten someone
Joseph: Who?
Donkey: Me. You mentioned you and Mary, your children who hadn’t even been born yet, but you didn’t mention me … told you, you always forget about your poor donkey.
Joseph: Ok, sorry. I was building the home we’d live in as a family, and include space for the donkey …
Donkey: That’s better!
Joseph: And things were going so well. That was until Mary came over one day and told me she had some news. She was going to have a baby. And I wasn’t the dad. I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was a joke.
Donkey: But it wasn’t?
Joseph: Nope. She told me that an angel visited her and told her she’d be having God’s baby, that it was a miracle. She swore she was telling the truth, but I didn’t … couldn’t believe her.
Donkey: How did you feel?
Joseph: I was so angry.
Donkey: I know, I heard you shouting. You also threw some tools around, kicked a tree or two….
Joseph: Alright, alright, you don’t need to tell the whole world… I was angry, yes. Also I needed to be alone. I needed some time to think. I couldn’t believe it. I had so much hope for our future. It was all gone now. I couldn’t marry her now, not after what she has done. But I loved her. I didn’t want her to suffer more than necessary. I decided to break off the engagement quietly. People didn’t need to know.
Donkey: But you didn’t do that …
Joseph: No.
Donkey: Why? What happened?
Joseph: I had a dream.
Donkey: A dream? Really? All my dreams are about carrots and grass, that sort of thing …
Joseph: Well, my dream was a bit different. An angel appeared to me. Said he was called Gabriel, that he was a messenger sent from God. He told me not to break off the engagement. Don’t hesitate to get married. That Mary was telling me the truth. God’s holy spirit made her pregnant. She was carrying God’s special baby – a boy. When he was born, we were to call him Jesus, which means God saves – because he would come to save his people from the all the mess and hurt they get themselves into. That baby boy would be known as Immanuel – which means God is with us. That baby boy would need an earthly dad to look after him, and Mary would need a good, faithful husband. God had a special job for me to do.
[Pause]
Joseph: Donkey. Is there something wrong?
Donkey: Why?
Joseph: You’ve not said anything.
Donkey: Well, I’m speechless.
Joseph: That’s what I mean … that never happens.
Donkey: That was some dream!
Joseph: You’re telling me! I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe it. But I did. The angel told me not to be afraid. God can give you the strength you need. So, I made it up with Mary, and we got married.
Donkey: What happened then?
Joseph: Nothing for a while. Months passed, and the day of our son’s birth drew near. All was going to plan, until we received some unwanted mail. The emperor ordered that a census be taken of the whole empire. Everyone had to return to their ancestral hometown to be counted.
Donkey: Wow, that’s crazy … in fact, it’s non-census! Gettit? He-haw Hee-haw
Joseph: Vey funny! Anyway, my family’s hometown is Bethlehem, which meant we had to make the four-day journey there … not ideal for poor Mary, who was heavily pregnant…
Donkey: Or for me …
Joseph: Why?
Donkey: Because I had to carry her! It was very tiring, but I didn’t mind, because I was carrying someone very special.
Joseph: And you didn’t moan very much either! So, when we got to Bethlehem, we were all exhausted, especially Mary
Donkey: And me
Joseph: And you … and the baby was due soon, but we didn’t know if we’d be able to find somewhere to stay. I thought we would be ok somehow, because of the baby Mary was carrying.
That baby was going to be the saviour, the King. God would look after us. I knew he was with us. We went to visit relatives, but they were full to bursting – lots of family members had come to stay because of the census, so they told us the guest room was full. But we could stay with them in the family quarter, although, it would involve being with the animals too.
Donkey: And what’s wrong with that?
Joseph: Nothing at all … we didn’t care where we stayed as long as it was clean, dry and warm. We were so relieved. God really was with us in that moment. And that’s where Jesus was born. We wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger.
Donkey: It’s a funny place for Jesus to be born, isn’t it?
Joseph: Why?
Donkey: It’s not very private or very special. He’s a king after all, isn’t he?
Joseph: Actually, I think that it’s a good place for Jesus to be born. He’ll be born among the people – with ordinary people. He hasn’t just come for so-called important people, but he’s come for ordinary people – to save everybody and nobodies.
Donkey: And every donkey.
Joseph: Exactly! The prince of heaven was born as an ordinary person. And I had the incredible privilege and responsibility of looking after him, of being his dad.
Donkey: You know what
Joseph: No, what?
Donkey: I think you’ll make a rather good job of it. God’s with you and will help you, after all.
Joseph: Really, you think so?
Donkey: Yes, I do.
Joseph: Wow, donkey, I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me!
Halwill Publishing 