First Person Christmas Story As Told by a Shepherd Boy
This is the Christmas story told from a first-person perspective. This could be used as a dramatic monologue in place of a children’s sermon or in children’s church. I could imagine having a volunteer in costume share the story. You could also include it as part of your Christmas play. This story can be told to children from their perspective on the night the angels came to speak to the Shepherds about the Christ child and the change it made in their lives.
Changed in a Night
You know what? I think adults tell stories in ways that are much too hard for kids to understand. They use big words that just confuse us and make it hard to understand what they are talking about.
Now that I’m ten and understand more, I want to tell you a special story the way I would tell my friends. In fact, I’m going to tell them it as soon as I’m done telling you.
You see, I finally reached the age in which I could go to work with my papa at night. It was an all night shift, but his job was important. If he didn’t go to work, it could mean big trouble. Not for him, but for those he took care of.
It was my first time to go, and I was excited. Mama had prepared a wonderful dinner for us just before darkness set in. We ate and then told her and my younger sister, Rebekah, that we would see them at breakfast.
Papa let me carry the oil lamp as we headed toward the field. We met my uncles there, because their fields were next to ours. Papa told me to guard the gate while he gathered the sheep into the fold for the evening.
Papa had just returned, and we joined my uncles for some water. Even though the sun had set, the coolness of the night hadn’t settled in yet. We were still feeling kind of hot.
Suddenly out of nowhere, standing before us was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. I can’t tell you whether it was boy or a girl. I just know that the wings were huge. I’m sure that it would have been no problem for this angel to wrap them around twenty people easily.
It scared the living daylights out of us. We all fell to the ground and were afraid to look at it.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ve come with good news that will bring all of you and your people joy,” the angel said.
Well, I don’t know about you, but that really got my attention. I was still kind of shaking, but I slowly lifted my head to look at this person whose presence I felt peace.
“In the city of David, a child was born today. He is your Savior, Christ the Lord. You will know He is the One I’m talking about because He will be wrapped in cloths and lying in the manger.”
A manger? I thought. What an odd place to lay a baby, but especially a Savior.
What happened next was the coolest thing yet. I wish you could’ve been there to see it. I’ve never seen anything like it. The sky lit up with thousands and thousands of angels. You couldn’t see the moon or the stars. They completely surrounded us. You could feel a gentle breeze across your face from the motion of their wings. The sky sparkled with glitters of gold and white. You would think it would hurt your eyes to look at them, but it didn’t.
Then they all began to sing. I’ve never heard singing like that before. Close your eyes as I tell you the words they sang. While you listen, imagine water lightly flowing over your body.
In perfect melody like a bird singing in the early morning, every word brought comfort to me. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased,” they sang.
You know, I wasn’t too sure about the existence of God until that night. My father, uncles, and I traveled to Bethlehem after the heavenly choir departed. When we got to the stable where Mary and Joseph stayed with their son, we told them what the angels said. I don’t know about Joseph, but I could tell that it meant a lot to Mary.
I like going to work with my father, but that first night is a night I will never forget. It changed me forever.
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Beckie, this is a wonderful presentation and I would like to use it. However, the scripture does not say the angels “sang”; it says the angels “said.” So, to make it scripturally correct, I have changed two paragraphs as follows:
“Then they all began to talk. I’ve never heard talking like that before. The voices were so lovely, it sounded almost like beautiful singing. Close your eyes as I tell you the words they said. While you listen, imagine water lightly flowing over your body.
In perfect melody like a bird singing in the early morning, every word brought comfort to me. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased,” they said.”
It is important to teach the WORD as it is so the children are not confused when they read something different. You are welcome to use my changes.
Wonderful story, Beckie!