While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7
1 Jesus, our brother, kind and good,
was humbly born in a stable rude,
and the friendly beasts around him stood;
Jesus, our brother, kind and good.
2 “I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
“I carried his mother uphill and down;
I carried his mother to Bethlehem town.
I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown.
3 “I,” said the cow, all white and red,
“I gave him my manger for his bed,
I gave him my hay to pillow his head.
I,” said the, cow all white and red.
4 “I,” said the sheep with curly horn,
“I gave him my wool for his blanket warm;
he wore my coat on Christmas morn.
I,” said the sheep with curly horn.
5 “I,” said the dove from the rafters high,
“I cooed him to sleep that he should not cry;
we cooed him to sleep, my mate and I.
I,” said the dove from the rafters high.
6 Thus every beast by some good spell,
in the stable dark was glad to tell
how they gave their gift to Emmanuel;
the gift they gave Emmanuel.
Robert David penned the modern English words to “The Friendly Beasts” dated to 12th century in France and sung to the tune of Orientis Partibus.
This song has the distinction of the third oldest Christmas carol. It literally brings the ancient nativity scenes to life. It illustrates how each “friendly beast” gave a gift to Christ from what they had. The animals teach us to give God what we have.
What do you we have? Is it time to take a fresh inventory? From there, what if you gave what you have to Jesus this Christmas? What would that look like? When we give what we have we never end up empty, but rather enriched.