Once upon a time God created the heaven and the earth. On the first day God said, "Let there be light," and He placed all the stars in the sky -- all but one.

This little star was hurt, and it began to cry because God had not given it a chance to shine like the others. But when it went to Him and wondered why, God replied: "I'm not ready for you, little star; you must grow some more before I can use you."

Many years went by. Then, down on earth one day, God's favorite people, the Israelites, escaped from their bondage in Egypt. Their leader was a man named Moses, and he led the Hebrews between the walls of the river on toward the land of Canaan.

God was very happy about this. He said, "I need three million stars to form a pillar of fire, to lead my children to the promised land. Who will volunteer?" The little star thought, "now is my chance to shine -- I'll volunteer." But when it came to God, He shook His head and told it, "Not yet, little star; you must become brighter before I can use you."

Faster and faster the years passed. All the while the little star was growing larger and brighter. "When will my time come?" it wondered.

On the nights when the clouds hid the other stars from earth the little star tried to steal beneath the clouds and light the way of the travelers who were lost and could not find their path home. But each time God would stop it, saying, "I am not ready to use you, little star; have patience and some day I will give you your chance."

"How much I am missing," the little star complained, as it watched the bigger stars keeping their vigil over David as he slept in the fields at night. "How I would love to inspire the poets to write their Psalms as the other stars do," the little star sighed as centuries rolled past without a chance for it to shine; but all the while it was growing larger and brighter.

Then one day God called to it, "Little star, the time has come; I am ready to use you."

The little star began to twinkle with anticipation; what did God have in store for it? As it beamed with satisfaction, God took the little star in His hand, and placed it in the sky. "Now, shine little star," God said. And shine it did!

While the little star was shining it noticed that three wise men were looking at it with exceeding joy, as if it held the answer to some question in their minds. Strange to say, the little star felt that it must lead them somewhere. It began to move, and wherever it went, the wise men followed.

As it glided across the sky, the little star noticed that it was headed for a town that lay in the distance. The closer it came to the village, the brighter it beamed. When it reached the edge of the town, the little star burst forth into a radiance which was much more beautiful than any other star had ever possessed.

Suddenly it stopped, directly over a stable. And, as it hovered there, the three wise men stepped down from their camels, and they hurried into the stable.

"What are they looking for?," the little star pondered. From the heavens it heard God's reply, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Suddenly, a wonderful peace came over the little star. It knew that soon God would call it out of the sky, for its task was done. But it was happy. It had served its purpose, and it was ready to give way to a greater Light, a Light which was the life of men.