The Angel Gabriel LEFT Heaven on a mission for God. He went RIGHT to a town called Nazareth, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.
Appearing RIGHT before Mary, the following words LEFT the angel’s lips: “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is RIGHT with you.”
Mary was deeply troubled by this statement which LEFT the Angel’s lips. She was LEFT wondering what kind of greeting this could be.
The angel sensed Mary’s trouble and told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you are down- RIGHT favored by God. RIGHT after I have LEFT, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will do everything RIGHT and will be called the Son of the Most-High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign RIGHT over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Mary looked RIGHT at the angel and asked, “How can this be?”
The angel replied RIGHT back to her: “The Holy Spirit will come RIGHT upon you, and the power of the Most-High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
“RIGHT. I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel LEFT her.
Not long after the angel LEFT Mary started packing for a trip to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who by the Lord’s grace had become pregnant in her old age.
RIGHT when Mary greeted Elizabeth the baby leapt inside her and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth LEFT her hand on Mary’s belly as she exclaimed, “You are the most blessed of women, and your child will be blessed! What have I done so RIGHT, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting LEFT your mouth, the baby inside me leapt RIGHT for joy! She who has RIGHTfully believed is LEFT blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!”
Mary stayed RIGHT with Elizabeth for about three months; then she LEFT and returned home.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole region should be taxed. Everyone LEFT what they were doing and went to be registered, each RIGHT to his hometown.
Joseph and Mary LEFT the town of Nazareth in Galilee, and headed RIGHT to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, to be registered. They were RIGHT there when the time came for Mary to give birth. Her firstborn Son was born, and she wrapped Him RIGHT up in cloths and laid Him RIGHT in a manger—because there was no room LEFT for them in the Inn.
In the same region, shepherds were LEFT RIGHT out in the fields to keep watch over their flocks at night. Assuming they had been LEFT alone, they were terrified when an angel of the Lord stood RIGHT before them. But the angel said to them, “Do not be LEFT afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today, RIGHT in the city of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying RIGHT in a manger.”
Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host on the LEFT and RIGHT of the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, RIGHT on those whom His favor dwells!
When the angels had LEFT them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem RIGHT now and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
They LEFT RIGHT away and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby who was RIGHT there in the manger. The angel had been RIGHT. After seeing it RIGHT before them, with their own eyes, they LEFT. The shepherds spread the word, and all who heard it were RIGHTly amazed. Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them RIGHT there in her heart. The shepherds had so much joy LEFT, as they went RIGHT back to the fields, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard. The angels had been RIGHT about everything.
Just as the shepherds LEFT worshipping and sharing the good news of the Savior’s birth, so it is now our job to share the good news with those God has placed RIGHT in our path. Isn’t that RIGHT?
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Note: Should the owner of the gift wind up with their own gift add one more line “And that is all that’s LEFT of our story!”
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