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Joshua’s Bone FluteBy Thomas Fullmer In Bethlehem of long ago, there lived a little shepherd boy named Joshua.  Joshua lived with hismother, father, grandfather, and baby sister Sarah.Joshua loved to play a bone flute.  Joshua had a beautiful flute made of the wing bone of a bird and wasengraved with birds and flowers. His grandfather had given it to him when he had turned 13 years old.Grandfather, his mother's father, said that when he had been a boy, his father had given him the flute atthe same age as Joshua.  So it had come down from generation to generation. Since his grandfather hadno sons that survived child birth, he had given Joshua the flute when he  came of age. It was to bepassed down from father to the oldest son, but having no sons and three lovely daughters, one of whichwas Joshua's mother Ruth, he had saved the flute for his oldest grandson, Joshua.  hadn't given it  time.The flute had been passed down for hundreds of years, but how a poor shepherd family like Joshua’scame to be in possession of such a beautiful flute his grandfather did not know; only that manygenerations ago, one of Joshua’s ancestors was believed to have played the flute for King Cyrus of Persia.Joshua loved his flute more than anything else.  It was his most prized possession.  He carried it withhim always.  And never let anyone else touch it, except of course his grandfather, as it was hisgrandfather who taught him how to play the flute so beautifully.  His grandfather could play the flutelike no one else Joshua had ever heard.  When Grandfather played the flute, Joshua was reminded of the sound of water music, as a brook babbled over the smooth rocks, or when the rains came andsoaked the parched earth.Joshua loved his grandfather.  He loved the stories his grandfather told him about the great King Davidwho had come from Bethlehem.  Joshua was proud that he lived in Bethlehem.  His grandfather toldhim about how King David was as great as the great kings of Persia, and greater than King Herod whonow ruled the land.  He also, told Joshua of a king who would come and rule the land who would begreater than even King David.  This king would be king of all the earth and save the Jews, Joshua’speople, from their enemies the Romans.A day came in which many people from all over the land came to Bethlehem to be taxed as ordered byCaesar.  On this day, baby Sarah, who was all the age of five, found Joshua’s flute and was playingwith it.  When Joshua saw her he was very angry and yelled at her.Joshua’s mother scolded him and said, “You shouldn’t love your flute more than your sister!”Joshua was sorry for what he had done, and apologized to Baby Sarah.  She being a loving sister forgave him, and went to play with her rag doll.On his way to the fields, Joshua danced and played his flute.  He saw a woman riding a lonely donkeywith a man leading it into Bethlehem.  Joshua felt sorry for the man and woman because he knew theywould have no place to stay because all the inns, the few that were there, were full.Later that night, after they herdedt the sheep in the fold, Joshua fell asleep at his father’s feet.  Hedreamed of a great king who wore no crown, and wore white flowing robes and a beard.  He stood inthe air with outstretched arms and said:  “Come unto me!”
 
Joshua woke up suddenly.“Angels!  We’ve seen Angels!” said Grandfather.  “He has come!”  Grandfather’s face shone in thenight.“We must go down to Bethlehem to worship the newborn king,” said Father.Joshua was puzzled.  Why was the king born in Bethlehem?  Shouldn’t a great king be born in apalace?  Then he remembered the great King David, and the new king that would save his people, whowould come from Bethlehem.  Could this be the new king?  Could the new king, the Messiah, havecome to earth?  With this in mind, Joshua got up and  reverently the three shepherds went toBethlehem.  Many more joined them.A star in the sky shone down upon the stable.  It was the brightest star Joshua had ever seen. They wentinto the city and found a cave that was used as a stable for the people who staid in one of the inns.Inside the stable many shepherds knelt to worship the new born king.  Joshua knelt and bowed hishead.  He looked up into the face of the most beautiful woman h had ever seen, the same woman he hadseen on the road earlier.  “Come and see the baby Jesus!” she said to Joshua.Joshua went to the manger to see the baby Jesus.  He looked into the eyes of the baby and a warmfeeling came over him that made him very happy inside.  He knew that this was the great king he hadseen in his dreams.  Here before him in swaddling clothes, lying in the manager was the Savior of hispeople.Joshua took his flute and played the most beautiful song he had ever played.  It was soft and sweet, andJoshua had never heard the tune before, but his fingers danced upon the flutes holes, as his lips movedup and down the mouth pieces of the bone flute.  It was as if he was being guided by an invisible hand.In the distance, Joshua could hear the angels sing as he played:  “Glory to God on high.  Peace andgoodwill to men.”  It was the most beautiful thing Joshua had ever heard, even more beautiful than hisown Grandfather had ever played.When he finished, Baby Jesus smiled up at Joshua.  Baby Jesus reached up and touched Joshua’s nose.Joshua felt the happiest feeling he had ever felt.  He loved Baby Jesus, and he knew Baby Jesus lovedhim.Joshua looked at his flute.  He loved his flute so much.  It was his most prized possession, fit for a king.He loved Baby Jesus even more.  Joshua silently placed the flute next to Jesus.  Baby Jesus smiled upat him and Joshua smiled back.On the way back to the fields where the sheep grazed, Joshua’s father said to him, “I’m proud of whatyou did tonight Joshua.  I know you loved your flute.  I know it was hard to give it up.”“I had to Father,” said Joshua.  “I love Baby Jesus, and I wanted to give him the greatest gift I could.”“I have something for you,” Grandfather said to Joshua.“What is it Grandfather?” asked Joshua.
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