Wonderful Wise Man

By Kathleen M. Hays

Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted (Eph. 4:32).

Zachary didn’t want to be a Wise Man in the Church Christmas pageant.

“Wise Men wear crowns,” said his father, and he tried on Zachary’s crown. It was too small.

“Can Mr. Bear be a Wise Man, too?” Zachary asked, trying the crown on his teddy bear. It was too big.

“You’ll have to ask your teacher,” his mother said. “But the crown doesn’t fit him.” She put the crown on Zachary’s head. It fit just right.

The next evening Zachary watched the people coming to the meetinghouse to see the pageant. “Mr. Bear doesn’t like Christmas pageants,” he said.

“Mr. Bear will be very brave,” Father said.

“Mr. Bear needs a hug,” Mother said, giving him one on the spot. Since Zachary was holding Mr. Bear, they both got hugged.

Zachary went to the Relief Society room, where everyone was getting ready. It seemed like a long time before the teacher whispered, “The Wise Men are next. Don’t forget your presents.”

“Mr. Bear is scared,” Zachary said to himself and held him tightly.

The first Wise Man walked out with his present. Baby Jesus, who was really baby Sarah, pushed it away. When the next Wise Man held out his present, Sarah began to cry.

Zachary walked over to baby Sarah. He couldn’t give her his Wise Man present because he had left it in the Relief Society room. But he’d thought of an even better present.

“Mr. Bear is scared, too,” he whispered to her, “but he is being brave.” Zachary gave her the teddy bear.

Baby Sarah stopped crying. She held Mr. Bear tightly.

Zachary could see his mother and father smiling at him as everyone began to sing “Joy to the World.”

“I liked being a Wise Man after all,” Zachary said to his parents after the pageant, “but I forgot the present.”

“You were a wonderful Wise Man,” said Father.

“You were the very best Wise Man you could be,” said Mother.

“Mr. Bear was a good gift, too,” Zachary said. Then he gave Mother his crown and went to find Mr. Bear.

Illustrated by Shauna Mooney Kawasaki