Real

*Past Poems Celebrating the Birth of Christ*

REAL

If you could create your own Jesus,

To suit your political taste,

You might have Him born “like a king,”

And not in a manger, near waste.

 2

You might have His step-dad a merchant,

Perhaps owning part of the bank,

So Jesus could have lots of funds,

And thus dress a little more swank.

 3

You might change the scene at the temple,

(At twelve He confounded the docs.)

Pretend that He birds made-on-wing,

By merrily tossing up rocks.

 4

You might have Him coddling the preachers,

Intent on their legalist brew,

(But He called them hypocrites – Wow,

No wonder they “bit nails in two.”)                    

 5

Your special “new Jesus,” your dream one,

Might skip all Golgotha’s cold loss,

He’d be a warm “pattern,” and teach,

Avoiding the grave and the cross.

 6

A Christ so political saves none.

All sinners would die in their sin.

Thank God for His Son, who is real,

Not something created by men.

 7

The real Christ died once for all sinners,

Arose He then, Victor, not dead.

He’s coming again, now to rule.

It’s just like they [1] said that He said.

                        ~ o ~

Amen ─ and Amen, once again!

• eab,  12/12/03

[1] The Bible writers