Solomon's Tears

It was everything Jacob had hoped it would be.

After a long journey, the Shepherds found what they had ventured so far and wide to see.

To everyone's astonishment the star shined brightly above a simple stable.

With racing hearts and eager faces, the boys walked together towards the inn.

They found a radiant young woman in blue and her husband sitting around a manger.

And in the manger lay a baby in swaddling clothes.

Jacob noticed Solomon's hand begin to tremble. He stopped and froze in his tracks.

Jacob jumped as the shepherd boy threw his drum to the ground, and collapsed to his knees into the sand.

Just like the night his infant brother died, Solomon looked into Jacob's eyes. And this time, his pleading green eyes were even more helpless. He began to shake his head in disbelief.

"Jacob..Jacob...I can't go in....I can't!" A steady stream of tears trickled down flushed cheeks.  

"I have nothing to give, he is a King..and I am nobody..." Panicking, he grew hysterical.  

Jacob quickly picked up Solomon's drum and knelt  down in front of him.

With his small fingers, he wiped away his friends tears.

More than anything, Jacob hoped he could make the history he had known of Christmas stay the way it was.  

He knew the role of the Little Drummer boy was important.

For the Drummer boy stood for love.

He stood for perseverance.

And he stood for humbleness.

He stood for what Christ the King wanted his birth to represent.

After a long embrace, Jacob forced Solomon to look at him. To his surprise, he spoke in the most confident voice.

"I promise you Solomon - you are someone. You have to play your drum. Play for your brother, play for this king."

The shepherds who had followed the boys, stood with Jacob. Together, they all encouraged Solomon to be the first to visit the stable. After all, it was him who had led them there.

With a newfound strength, Solomon took his drum from Jacob, and made his way down the hill towards the stable.

As he crept in, the stable felt warm. It was a warmth that he had never felt before. A warmth that made the whole world around him seem kinder and brighter.

The smell of the straw tickled his nose.  The atmosphere  was like nothing he had ever experienced. Even the animals seemed to know that this night was important.

In the distance, to Jacob's dismay, he watched Solomon gingerly place his drum down on the hay and walk slowly towards the manger.

His knees now in straw, Solomon peered at the child. The infant was radiant and strong. He was noble. He was perfect.

Overcome with wonder, he reached out to touch the velvet flesh of the new baby's hand. And to his delight, the baby boy curled his fingers around his own finger.

Solomon thought his heart might burst. He felt a smile break out on his face. He hadn't smiled for a long time. Fighting through joyful tears he whispered to the baby.

"Little baby....I am a poor boy too."

His heart sank.

Fearfully, he realized the woman and her husband were watching him closely.

He looked up with wide eyes and stuttered to them

"I have no gift to bring, that is fit to lay before the king."

The woman gave him a smile.

 As she smiled all of Solomon's nerves and fear vanished, for he realized this family had no selfishness or inferiority about them.

Smiling back at the woman, he giddily got up to get his drum.

Jacob and the shepherds all gave a sigh of relief as they watched the woman in blue begin to speak to their friend.

She nodded to Solomon, and proudly with one mighty beat after another, he played his drum for the family, and for Christ the King.

Author's Note