Humphrey was late again…
which wasn’t unusual for a snail. But as snails go, this one was different. You see, Humphrey knew he had a purpose in life. He just didn’t know what it was.

Humphrey had been born and raised in a musty, forgotten corner of the temple. Hidden though he was, he could still hear the daily readings of scripture and the words spoken by the priests. Oh, how he loved to hear stories about Creator God!

Then one day a commotion began within the priests’ quarters.
He overheard…
“Is it true?” Ephraim whispered.

“I don’t know. Some shepherds outside Bethlehem say angels told them.” Jacob replied.

But Altus, the assistant high priest, rebuked them both angrily, “Angels! I say those shepherds were seeing things!”

Ephraim continued to whisper, “But the Messiah was prophesied by Isaiah to be born of a virgin in Bethlehem. You know these things as well as me!” His voice rose as his courage swelled.

Humphrey was so proud of Ephraim. He was shorter than the other priests and usually filled with fear. But today he found courage in his faith. “Ah,” Humphrey thought sadly, “he won’t be here any longer than the last priest who disagreed with Altus.”

Humphrey was right. Ephraim was told to pack his things and leave. As the little priest was packing, Humphrey overheard his plans and decided to take a big step for such a tiny snail. In the dark of night, while it was much cooler, Ephraim left on camel for Bethlehem … with a slightly nervous snail is his saddle pack.

Now, friend, snails don’t normally leave the comfort of their homes, and many generations had been born and raised in the temple, but Humphrey knew somehow he had to go see Creator Baby, too.

Humphrey sat uncomfortably for days in the roughly woven sack. He could peek through a hole at the desolate landscape as the camel plodded along. Ephraim, too, was battling internally regarding his decision to leave. Both man and snail wondered if they had made the right move. So Ephraim prayed. Humphrey closed his eyes and was fast asleep.

Humphrey’s shell grew itchy. “Must’ve gotten some sand in it,” he thought as he awoke the next morning. The trouble was, camel and priest were nowhere to be found! Humphrey had accidently slipped through a hole in the pack.

Did you know that a snail can be pretty hard-headed? Humphrey was. He wouldn’t let this setback get him down! So he continued on to Bethlehem.

On the way he almost dried out in the desert. Then a wild donkey almost stepped on him. The nerve! But the trip would be worth it if he saw the Creator!

As Humphrey tiredly approached the town, he discovered he was too late. The Creator’s earthly family had left Bethlehem! The other snails just laughed at Humphrey’s tale, so he turned around. Humphrey would return to Jerusalem and the dark corner of the temple and forget about having a purpose in life.

This time Humphrey didn’t have Ephraim’s camel to transport him most of the way, so days became weeks that became months that became years of traveling. Yet everyone Humphrey met along the way was told of the Creator. Humphrey explained that Creator God had come to earth. Men and priests who knew Creator called Him “Messiah,” the Man who would one day save His people from everlasting death. This earth would be cleansed and His created beings would live even better than they did when God created the world. Humphrey shared the scriptures he had heard over and over again in the temple.

Humphrey was becoming a very old snail. And like all snails, especially older ones, he was slowing down even more. A young colt raced across the valley and almost stepped on Humphrey. He would’ve stopped to laugh at the old snail before the day he had carried the Man-burden. But this day the colt stopped and apologized to Humphrey. The colt took time to listen to the old snail’s story and how he was heading back to Jerusalem.

Then came the saddest event in Humphrey’s life, even worse than the time he discovered he had missed Creator Baby. You, see, the colt had been racing to tell his aunt that the Man-burden had been killed. Other man-burdens had nailed him to a stable-wood cross a few days ago. It was horrible! The colt couldn’t watch. Humphrey cried when he realized this “Man-burden” was also the Creator. “How could the Creator die by the hands of His created?” thought Humphrey. Oh, it’s pitiful to see a snail cry, but the colt’s tears washed the dirt and sand from Humphrey’s shell.

“Why don’t you come back to town with me?” the colt offered after they had finished sobbing. “My aunt will hear the news later.” So Humphrey climbed into the colt’s mane and settled down deeply within it. He did not want to fall off again! Oh no, no, no!

When Humphrey and the colt neared town, they heard people yelling, crying and screaming. They heard…

“The Messiah has risen!”
“Somebody stole the body!”
“Those guards better run if they know what’s good for them!”
“Jesus is alive! I’ve seen Him!”
“The man’s disciples are insane!”
“Where did they put the body?”
“If you ask me, nobody could’ve moved that rock. Yes, sir, nobody but God!”

So rather than return the snail to his old home, the colt raced to where the body had been buried. Humphrey hung on as hard as you can without arms.

Well, sure enough, the huge rock had been moved and the tomb was empty! The colt quickly stepped aside as they noticed a large crowd coming. The word had quickly spread throughout town.

Humphrey said to the colt, “I don’t know what they expect to find. The thing’s empty. Nobody’s there. Creator Man-God is risen, just as He said He would!”
“Yes, Humphrey, just as He said,” the colt agreed.

Together the friends took the long way around, back to the temple. This time, they talked happily over the good news.

Then, the colt just about bumped into a man standing in their path. The snail was almost thrown off as the colt shook his head. The youngster was ready to tell this man off. But… could it be? The colt blinked and was silent.

“Humphrey.” The snail heard his name, but it sounded like it came from the man.

“Was it you, colt?” Humphrey asked, but the youngster was still staring at the man.

“Humphrey.” Once more, it looked like the man spoke.

“Hey, snail, the man-burden’s talking to you!” the colt whispered.

“Yes, I am.”

Both snail and colt were dumbfounded because they knew this one could understand and speak to them. Humphrey was first to recognize Him, “Creator!?!”

“Yes, dear snail.”

“Oh, Man-burden, Creator,” the colt stuttered and knelt before the risen Messiah.

“Oh, dear Creator, please, please forgive me. I never discovered the purpose You had for me,” and Humphrey sobbed big snail tears. Yes, pitiful!

“Oh, Humphrey, look at me,” and Creator scooped up the old snail in His nail-scarred hand. “You have fulfilled My purpose for you, faithful one. You have taken My words that you heard in the temple and shared them with others. You have told many about Me and why I have come. That was and is your purpose.”

As Creator/Messiah disappeared from their view, the snail and colt smiled at one another.

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