He is above all,

yet, He—the second Person

of the Trinity—in the fullness of time

became low—as animals looked on—born in a barn.

What mere mortal man could have dreamed up such a scene?

Wholly God, wholly man

Holy God, a Holy Man—

God is above all,

and being above all,

above all,

does not—would not—

force Himself or His plan

on mortal man. Indeed,

God is a gentleman.

Therefore, when I tell the Christmas story

of God—so willingly shedding His glory

for a while—exchanging home and throne

for a manger and a cross: for God so loved the world—

I do so in the same Spirit

not as prosecutor, not as proselytizer

but more as Paul—

who as Saul

had once persecuted the Christians,

who as Saul had once seen the blinding light in the desert—

not as judge and jury,

not as cross examiner or crucifier,

not even defense attorney

but as Paul singing from prison

and Silas—

praying for his persecutors and as such saying

God is a gentleman.

© December 15, 2010 by UT2