Opening Night

by Jeni Lamm

In a matter of hours, it will be Opening Night of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! I’m excited! As old as I am, and after as many Opening Nights as I have had, I still get excited. And I’m not even in this one!

I’m a little jealous of some of our young cast members for whom opening nights are still a rather new experience. This may even be a first for one or two of them and they get to open at the 450 seat Clayton Performing Arts Center! Not bad!

My first opening night, when I was even older than they, was in a cafegymatorium in a junior high school. The conditions were way less than ideal for the event! But I was excited nonetheless and a bit nervous, I’m sure. As I recall, the play was very well received by our adoring fans in spite of the poor venue. …You might know where I’m headed with this…

Consider Jesus’ opening night, his debut on the world stage. Conditions were way less than ideal for such an event. I wonder if Mary and Joseph were excited or nervous? I would have been nervous. They were totally unrehearsed and the venue – a stable – was lousy.

Just thinking about it in this way, makes me thankful that God sent the shepherds. Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus had adoring fans, albeit strangers. There were people who acknowledged and appreciated the, well, labor!

I’m glad there were shepherds.

Come, let us all adore Him.

Jeni Lamm