| There is a little-known event that occurred shortly | | | | mother of Jesus, was at first a little apprehensive |
| after the time of our Lord Jesus' birth which, for | | | | about letting these huge animals too close to her |
| unknown reasons, the authors John, Matthew, | | | | newborn son. But her heart was softened when |
| Luke, or Mark chose to leave out of their Gospels. | | | | the word began to filter in of the brave defense |
| The wondrous biblical story of the shepherds out | | | | they had just put up to protect them all, and she |
| tending their flocks around Bethlehem and their | | | | agreed to let them set the wounded reindeer |
| seeing a star in the sky announcing the birth of | | | | down in the warm straw next to her son. As |
| the newborn king is well-known to all; likewise is | | | | Rudolph lay there clinging to life, struggling with |
| the tender nativity story of the infant Jesus lying | | | | every ounce of energy in his body to breathe |
| in a manger surrounded and being warmed by the | | | | through his severed mouth and nose, the baby |
| breaths of cows and sheep and donkeys. | | | | Jesus began stirring in his cradle with an obvious |
| But what was not told in the Gospels was that | | | | great agitation. Seconds later, as if he could |
| there were also reindeer at the nativity of Jesus. | | | | actually see and understand what was wrong with |
| It turns out that one of the three wise men from | | | | Rudolph, the infant reached out his right hand |
| the east was actually more from the northwest, | | | | toward the reindeer. |
| from the area of the present-day countries of | | | | Maybe it was the bright red blood-soaked head |
| Russia and Finland. It was this wise man who | | | | that caught His attention, perhaps it was the loud |
| brought along his herd of nine reindeer. And it's | | | | and heart-wrenching gurgling noise being made by |
| the exploits of these reindeer's selfless courage | | | | Rudolph as he lay there gasping for breath; or |
| that is one of the greatest untold stories of all | | | | maybe it was His infinite compassion at the sight |
| time. | | | | of one of His Father's creatures suffering so badly |
| It turns out that while the nativity scene we are | | | | that made him want to reach out and touch the |
| all familiar with was playing itself out, a savage | | | | wound. Whatever the reason was, seeing that |
| and bloody battle of monumental consequence | | | | Jesus wanted to be closer to this brave reindeer, |
| was occurring in the pasture land surrounding the | | | | the wise man from the north knelt down beside |
| stable. King Herod in Jerusalem, upon hearing of a | | | | Rudolph and very gently lifted the reindeer's head |
| newborn king being born in Bethlehem, sent an | | | | upward so it would be in reach of the newborn |
| armed patrol of Temple guards out to find the | | | | king. |
| baby Jesus and then to kill him. But as the soldiers | | | | When the reindeer was close enough for him to |
| approached the stable, the reindeer, whose | | | | do so, baby Jesus reached out his hand-just as he |
| super-strong sense of smell detected the danger | | | | would in later life do with the lepers and the blind |
| several minutes in advance, stood prepared to | | | | and all of the afflicted of mankind-and placed it |
| defend the infant Jesus, even if it meant losing | | | | upon Rudolph's bloody mutilated nose, and then he |
| their lives in the process. | | | | just left it there. All who watched on that cold |
| And fight, they did! | | | | winter's night were in awe of the miracle they |
| Even though the soldiers had the advantage of | | | | were to witness. |
| having sharp, hardened-steel swords, the reindeer | | | | As His precious hand rested upon Rudolph, the |
| had for themselves just as good a battle weapon: | | | | reindeer's nose began to glow with the radiance |
| their large antlers. After an hour of heated | | | | of a hundred suns. And as the minutes passed, |
| combat in which one after another of Herod's | | | | the reindeer began to breathe normally; soon the |
| soldiers fell from their wounds or fled out of | | | | animal was beginning to stir. After what seemed |
| horror at the fighting skills of the fearless warrior | | | | an eternity, baby Jesus removed his hand. In |
| reindeer, it was finally all over. The evil King Herod | | | | another minute, Rudolph-still very shaky-began to |
| had lost, and baby Jesus would live to adulthood | | | | stand up. |
| to carry out his earthly mission to save mankind. | | | | After yet another minute, with all his senses fully |
| But there was one very serious problem: The | | | | back in his control, Rudolph managed to reduce |
| bravest warrior reindeer of them all, Rudolph, was | | | | the intensity of his bright, shining, and now-healed |
| mortally wounded. In the heat of the battle, one | | | | red nose to near normal so it wouldn't blind |
| of the soldiers' swords hit its mark on the | | | | everyone present. He then turned toward the |
| fearless reindeer and had seriously sliced off the | | | | baby Jesus and lowered his head in solemn |
| end of his nose and muzzle. He now lay on the | | | | reverence and thanks to the newborn king of |
| cold and rocky ground, profusely bleeding to | | | | Kings. |
| death. Because there was nothing else they could | | | | Baby Jesus looked back at him and smiled. |
| do, his brother and sister reindeer comrades, | | | | And it was from that holy night over two |
| either by instinct or divine guidance, all at once | | | | thousand years ago that Rudolph and all of the |
| gently slid their huge antlers under the nearly | | | | brave reindeer who fought so valiantly to save |
| lifeless body of their fallen comrade and carried | | | | the infant Jesus were entrusted with the duty of |
| him into the warmth of the stable. | | | | helping all the children in the world on every |
| Not quite sure what was going on, Mary, the | | | | Christmas Eve. |