Once upon an eternity there was a tiny star. His name: LITTLE STAR. Little Star enjoyed his home, for it was a very busy place. New stars were continually bursting into brighter and brighter stars. Where Little Star lived, Nothing was Nothing, and Nothing was becoming Something all the time.

Now, many of you know how to keep time. And just before Christmas the time seems to go very slowly, doesn’t it? Well, where Little Star lived the years would fly by as if they were just seconds by our time. Little Star was very good at counting. But by the time he had counted a billion years or so, he quit counting. The calendar of space was too much to count. So, he just floated along watching and listening as new-born start were humming into orbit. Once in a while he would hear a cracking sound, as a star would break his orbit and go spinning off into the silence of space.

The universe was a very quiet place. It was perfect. In fact, not much seemed to happen. Boring, we might say. "If only," mused Little Star, "God could bring some excitement here." Then, one day Little Star caught a rumor.

It was one of the countless rumors floating through space. This rumor came floating by on a cloud of stardust. Little Star was just able to reach out and grab it as it floated by. It was just a tiny whisper of a rumor, but it was enough to make Little Star jump for joy. He shivered in his orbit.

Rumor whispered, "A whole constellation has broken off, and is now lost in space. There are lots and lots of stars in this constellation, and one star even has its own cluster."

Now this was nothing new to Little Star. This had happened before. But what excited him about this constellation was something rumor said. It was a new experiment called Life. "The planet’s name is Earth," Rumor continued. "It is so small that you could balance it on the head of one of the decimal points in our space. But this new experiment called Life...I’ll tell you more next time." With that, Rumor was gone.

For years and years Little Star waited for Rumor to return. He was exited about the planet called Earth, and this new thing called Life. "How great it would be to take a peek at Planet Earth," he thought. Remembering how small he was, he knew that would never be a possibility.

Then, in a fraction of a century, Rumor darted by! He was all out of breath. What a story he had to tell. Little Star grabbed Rumor and they spun off together in space. Little Star shivered with delight to hear of Planet Earth. He heard of something called grass pushing up through black stuff called dirt. He heard of big trees and little ones, some giving things called food to eat. He heard of things that swooped in the air called birds, and of funny, furry things walking on four extensions...and water, some fluid where creatures dived in and out of and seemed to enjoy. But what came next was amazing!

Rumor called these creatures men and women. Humans. "They seemed to be in charge of this place called Earth. For they can think about things. They share ideas, and they seem to enjoy living on Earth. And inside each of them they have spirits that seem to make them aware of God...and God made them all!" Rumor shouted.

"But that’s not all, Little Star. Best of all these humans can do something called Love." Rumor seemed to get a little starry-eyed when he said "love." "Love? What’s that" asked Little Star. "Love," answered Rumor, "is what God is. And it is love He wants more than anything else. Love is what God says that makes things, and keeps things going, like beauty and goodness and happiness for other humans. LOVE IS THE SHINING CENTER OF GOD!"

"I don’t understand," said Little Star. "But it seems life must be very exciting, and these earth people must be the happiest creatures in the universe."

"DON’T YOU BELIEVE IT!" boomed the voice right beside them. "That’s only a rumor!" It was an angel speaking to them. "Don’t you know, that when God makes someone able to love, he makes them free. If they were not free, they could not love. For love is freedom. When God sets a star like you, Little Star, in orbit, it just obeys. We all obey. But when God set man and woman on earth, He asks them to choose. They can love, or they can refuse to love. It is up to them."

"Do you mean," replied Little Star, "that these humans don’t want to love? Don’t they want to be happy?"

"I don’t expect you to understand, Little Star. There’s been a lot of trouble. Things like fear and hate, sickness and murder and war. These things keep humans apart. But God keeps loving them, Little Star. God keeps on loving them, even when they forget Him!"

"Oh no! Can anything be done?"

"Nothing more," snapped the angel. "They know the way, don’t they? They have to choose!" Little Star became very sad. How he wished he could help.

Hundreds of years flashed by. It seemed as though nothing more was going to happen. Then, suddenly, the universe seemed to explode into action. Angels were everywhere, swishing past him in a flurry of wings and songs bursting from their lips. Rumor darted from star to star filled with the latest news. Amazing! God just sent His own Son to that place called Earth! Born to one of those women creatures.

"The King of the Universe is now on earth!" shouted a chorus of angels. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among men!"

"I’m not going to miss this!" cried Little Star. He gave a hard tug. Once, twice, and with a snap, he was suddenly free of his familiar orbit. Before he knew it, he was flying head first toward that place called Earth. Now, things were happening! Little Star was no longer bored. He eagerly leaned into his free-fall to get close to the place where grass grew and furry creatures and flying ones were everywhere. As he tumbled toward Earth, he thought, "I want to see those things called humans - the ones who could love, or not love! And I want to see God’s King. He will certainly help the Earth humans to love. My, what a King he will be, all those things he will do. Will he show them the power of God?" But he had no time...for he was there...near Earth...and he just stared and stared. It was more beautiful than he imagined!

He saw those things called animals and birds buzzing here and there. And he saw the wonderful humans. But the humans he observed were acting very strange. They were running around in the middle of the dark night. They had heard the same singing that Little Star heard. Now, they were running toward a group of buildings. They left those funny, fuzzy animals called sheep to look out for themselves. Those human creatures seemed to be looking for something...or ... could it be the King?"

He drew closer to them. They were looking for another ... a baby. For they seemed to be talking and asking directions. At last those humans stumbled past a big fancy building to small, smelly place in the back. That little place in the back had animals and a human man and beautiful earth-woman...and A BABY! A baby in a shed? He sent some of his best starlight to get a better view. Suddenly, he realized here was the baby that the angels were singing about with hallelujah’s and hurrah’s. Here was the King...God’s King, a gift from God Himself. He still loved His human creatures!

Those funny looking men who left their sheep just seemed transfixed, paralyzed with wonder and delight. They seemed to be bowing down and giving honor to the baby.

"This is no place for a King," said Little Star. "There must be better places for the King to begin His life!" Then, Little Star remembered what the angel had told him. "Love is free. You cannot force love. Here is My love, Earth people. You can choose for Me and My love, or you can reject Me. You have to choose."

Then, Little Star felt as though ... off in the distance, some other human creatures were looking directly at HIM! Little Star turned and looked over his shoulder. Sure enough! A group of men looked at him and some big books with words in them. They seemed to be going somewhere. So Little Star thought he would follow them. But every time he moved, the men seemed to move with him, not the other way. It was as though he, Little Star, was leading some humans to where God’s King was now living.

Would these humans recognize this one child as God’s King? Would they bow down like those simple shepherds? He would wait and see if those men were wise. And he again heard the voice, "They will have to choose."