The night before Christ’s birth a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell among robbers. A priest came down the road and passed him by. Then a Levite came down the road and passed him by. Finally, as the sun was going down, a Samaritan traveling down the road saw the man beaten and lying lifeless, and he too passed him by.

The night before Christ’s birth a man returned home from wasting his inheritance on parties and prostitutes. On the road he rehearsed his plea to simply be one of his father’s servants. And when he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and his father turned his back.

The night before Christ’s birth a woman was caught in the act of adultery and was brought before the local rabbi and was stoned to death.

The night before Christ’s birth in me, I had fallen amongst robbers, had wasted my inheritance, and was condemned to death.

The night before Christ’s birth we all wait, helpless, hopeless, for we cannot see the light in this darkness, and we cannot overcome our oppression.

The night before Christ’s birth who could have imagined Immanuel, God with us – God one of us.

(Tim is a Ph.D. candidate in Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. He spends most of his time writing his dissertation on Flannery O'Connor and a Theology of Disability andchasing after his three young kids. When time allows, which is rare,Tim enjoys writing fiction and poetry.)

Topics: Culture At Large, Theology & The Church, Faith, Christmas & Easter