TAHRIN

THE BRIGHTEST STAR

It was quiet in Heaven. Very quiet. The Moon was fast asleep, her head resting on her beautiful slender hand, and her silver gown flowing in waves all around her. The Stars, too, were resting waiting for the time when they would be on duty. Even the Sun was resting behind a big black cloud who was thoroughly enjoying himself raining on the village just below him.
A little Star crept out from amongst the others, and peered down from behind the black cloud. ‘They wont be very pleased down in the village’ he whispered to the others as he lay down beside them again. ‘They were having a cricket match until Zada rained on them.’
‘I expect Mr. Weather Man thought the farmers needed the rain more than the cricket match needed Mr. Sun’ said a wise old Star sleepily.
‘I suppose so’ agreed the little Star. ‘How I wish though that someone needed me - REALLY needed me, I mean’ and he sighed.
‘Your turn will come’ said some of the other Stars. ‘Now go to sleep, Tahrin, or you wont be able to shine at all.’
Tahrin knew what that meant! When Mr. Weather Man came to inspect them he would tap the dull ones on the shoulder and say ‘Off to Room No. 4.’
Room 4 was the ‘Shining Room’ where dull Stars were polished and this could sometimes be rather painful so Tahrin did his best to settle down to sleep.
The wise old Star saw Tahrin covering himself with star dust which formed a cosy blanket and smiled ‘You have many years of work to do before you can be chosen for something Special’ he said. 'But rest now, it will soon be time to get up’ and he turned over and was soon fast asleep.
Tahrin, however, lay awake for a long time. He felt very restless and wished he were older and able to do his ‘Special’ task, but at last he, too, drifted off to sleep.
‘ALL STARS RISE AND SHINE. ALL STARS RISE AND SHINE’ It was the voice of Mr. Weather Man as he walked amongst the sleeping Stars. The Stars woke, stretched themselves, and yawned as they slowly rose and brushed themselves down.
‘Do hurry’ said Mr. Weather Man grumpily. ‘I’ve had a dreadful time calling the Sunbeams in. They are becoming very disobedient and I don’t want you to be late on duty on top of all that bother!’ And he walked away grumbling to himself.
‘I shall have to see Mr. Sun’ the Stars heard him muttering. ‘He really must be firmer with those Sunbeams of his.’
The Stars hurriedly combed their hair and shined their faces checking each other to see if they were sparkling, then ran quickly to their places.
Tahrin was last! He hadn’t slept much, and so he looked rather dull.
Mr. Weather Man tutted as Tahrin passed him. ‘You are not very bright tonight’ he said. ‘You will never pass your “Shining Test” if you don’t smarten up. I think I may have to send you to Room 4.’
‘I’ll brighten up Sir. I promise’ Tahrin replied as he sped off to his particular place in the sky.
So the years went by, and Tahrin grew into a beautiful Star with a great light.’
Then one day Mr. Weather Man came to Tahrin and said in a hushed voice - ‘You are wanted at the Palace. Heavenly Father wants to see you.’
‘See me?’ asked Tahrin, beginning to tremble. ‘What have I done?’
Mr. Weather Man chuckled. ‘Nothing, Tahrin, don’t worry. You have passed every test brilliantly without a single visit to Room 4. Father is pleased with you. Now go and see Him - and don’t forget to bow!’he added as Tahrin hurried off.
As he came to the door of the Throne Room he paused to get his breath back. He wished he could look into a mirror to see if he was bright and shining, and his hair was neat and tidy. He wanted to look his best for Heavenly Father.
As Tahrin was standing rather hesitantly at the door a Courtier came by , immaculately dressed.
'We are expecting you, Tahrin' he said, and, knocking on the door, he ushered Tahrin into the Throne Room where Heavenly Father was sitting.
'Come in' He called, and, as Tahrin walked rather timidly towards the Throne, Father said ‘I have been watching you, Tahrin, and I am very pleased with your work, and now I am giving you a Very, Very Special Task to do for me.’
Tahrin glowed at this praise from Heavenly Father, and he sparkled and shone until he was the brightest Star in all of Heaven.
‘Excellent’ said Father as he smiled at Tahrin. ‘Now this is what I want you to do’ and as He explained Tahrin’s Task, the Star was stunned. He had been chosen for the most Important Task of all and he just stood and sparkled with delight and awe.
When Tahrin returned to his friends they shaded their eyes at his brightness. ‘What has happened?’ they asked in amazement.
A wise old Star came over to Tahrin and patted him on the shoulder ‘Congratulations! Tahrin. Heavenly Father has given you a ‘Special Task’ hasn’t He?’
‘Yes’ Tahrin whispered, still rather overwhelmed by the wonderful task he had been given to do.
‘I’m to go to the far-off Eastern Lands’ he told them. ‘And give Three Wise Men a message. They are to follow me to Bethlehem, and I’m to show them where Jesus, the Messiah, will be born.’ And he sat down quickly on to the nearest chair, shaking his head in astonishment.
‘Here, drink this nectar’ said a kindly Star as he handed Tahrin a silver goblet. ‘It will help you.’
‘Thank-you, Shuly’ said Tahrin as he sipped the delicious nectar. ‘I feel better already.’
I think we should look at the maps’ said the wise one.
‘I have them here’ said Mr. Weather Man who had just bustled in with his arms full of maps. ‘We don’t want any mistakes’ he said, looking severely at Tahrin. ‘We will plot your course for you, then you must remember it carefully. The Wise Men will be relying on you.’
‘I’ll remember. I promise. Father said He would help me’ Tahrin replied.
So for the next few days Tahrin and the others studied the maps until Tahrin knew every inch of the way perfectly.
At last the day arrived when Mr. Weather Man came and said ‘TODAY is the Day, Tahrin. Off you go.’
Tahrin took a deep breath - ‘Good-bye, everyone’ he called. ‘I’ll see you in a few weeks time.’
‘Good-bye’ they answered as they came to the Door with him and watched until he was out of sight.
‘I’m on my own, now’ thought Tahrin feeling rather nervous as he began to make his way across the sky. Then he remembered, and chuckled. ‘Of course I’m not alone. Heavenly Father said He would watch over me’ and he began to enjoy himself as he greeted his cousins whom he had not seen for many years.
‘How bright you are, Tahrin’ he heard them say time and time again.
‘Yes’ he always answered. ‘That’s because I have a Very Special Task to do.’ And then he would tell them about God’s Son who was going to be born in Bethlehem, and how he, Tahrin, was to lead the Wise Men to where the baby would be born.’
‘Is it a very grand Palace?’ some Stars asked.
‘Is it a beautiful Castle?’ other asked.
‘No’ answered Tahrin very quietly. ‘Their Saviour is to be born in a stable.’
‘A stable!!’ They couldn’t understand it.
‘Heavenly Father wants Jesus to be born to ordinary humble people and live exactly like them so that everyone will know that He understands their sorrows and hurts, their sickness and problems, and their distress when a loved-one dies' Tahrin explained. 'And He will also share in their happy times too, and tell them how much He, and our Father, loves them.’
‘Oh! How wise and wonderful of Father’ they said as they looked at one another and smiled.
‘Yes, how wise’ agreed others. ‘And how people will love Him’
‘I do hope so’ said Tahrin as he thought of all the beauty of Heaven that Jesus was leaving.
And so Tahrin continued on his journey, arriving at last at the very place where three Wise Men were looking at the sky through a telescope.
‘There they are’ said Tahrin excitedly as he looked down - and ‘Look at this Star’ said one equally excited Wise Man as he looked up.
And Heavenly Father in His Palace smiled.
‘They have found each other’ He said to Mr. Weather Man. ‘Tahrin has done well.’
Mr. Weather Man, too, was pleased. ‘Tahrin has memorised his course well’ he thought.
And Tahrin continued to do well as he led the three Wise Men for mile after mile.
BUT, then they decided to call on King Herod in Jerusalem first!
‘The King of the Jews will certainly be born in a Palace’ said one Wise Man.
‘But the Star isn’t leading us to Jerusalem’ said the second.
‘Perhaps he has made a mistake’ said the third.
‘Mistake! Mistake!’ twinkled Tahrin in great distress as he tried to get their attention. ‘YOU are making the mistake’ and he shone even brighter than ever.
But the three Wise Men took no notice, and went to the Palace. King Herod pretended to be pleased when he heard of baby Jesus, but the Wise Men could see that he really wasn’t pleased at all, even when he asked them to come back and tell him where the baby was so that he could worship Him too!
They were very relieved when they left the Palace and saw that Tahrin was still waiting for them, and this time they followed him very carefully until they came to the stable where Jesus had been born.
How happy Tahrin was when he looked in and saw Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus.
Then the Wise Men climbed down from their camels, opened their gifts and entered the stable. They gasped in wonder and awe as they knelt down to worship Jesus as He lay smiling in the manger.
Afterwards they gave Mary their gifts for the baby - Gold; Frankincense and Myrrh.
Tahrin felt the tears come into his eyes as he looked at the manger scene, but he quickly blinked them away. He didn’t want to dim any of his sparkle.
The animals in the stable looked up at Tahrin and smiled, they understood how he felt.
But now it was time for Tahrin to return home. He had carried out his “Special” task perfectly, and, as he had a last peep at the beautiful baby before starting on his journey, he felt happier than he had ever felt in his life.
And Heavenly Father, too, was very happy, and very glad that He had chosen Tahrin - His Brightest Star of All.
Elizabeth Aynsley © 1990