Raising Red Letter Kids

O Holy Night!  The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.

O mighty Lord, our theology You’re still refining,

We bow to You, but Your children have no worth.

 

And it came to pass in those long ago days

That your teenage mother was pledged to be married

But was single and homeless with questionable ways

And ‘twas You in her womb, that she carried.

 

So You, King of kings were born in a manger;

Your immigrant family found no room in the inn.

An alien, a foreigner, an anchor baby, a stranger,

Behold the King!  Undocumented, but without sin.

 

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed

You, little Lord Jesus laid down Your sweet head.

You were despised and rejected by men.

You were oppressed and afflicted.

 

Familiar with suffering, your family fled,

Refugees fleeing violence and hate.

No good can come from Naz’reth, it’s said,

Yet your birth brought good tidings so great

 

Joy to the world, which shall be to ALL people

For unto us is born this day

A Savior, which is Christ the Lord

And for all of our sins, You did pay.

 

Truly You taught us to love one another,

Your law is true love and Your gospel is peace.

Chains shall You break, for the slave is our brother.

And in Your name all oppression shall cease.

 

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne

And our unjust laws You will shatter.

Racism, classism, greed you can’t condone

For we’re ALL Your children and black lives DO matter

 

So do brown lives and poor lives,

and migrant lives too.

You made us all in your image,

You, the brown-skinned, Palestinian Jew.

 

You came to preach good news to the poor,

To proclaim freedom for the captives,

To comfort all of those who mourn,

To bestow a crown of beauty instead of tear gasses

 

You have brought down rulers from their thrones

And have lifted up the humble.

You have filled the hungry with good things

But those who serve Mammon will stumble

 

Farther from you, and not due to money

You’re the author of greatness; You give us success.

But You are true love, your kindness like honey

You give so we can bless and not oppress.

 

For those in need we’re to protect and share

and provide for those who grieve.

A garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair

Will clothe those who believe.

 

For You were hungry and we fed you,

When you were thirsty-we gave you drink

You were a stranger and we welcomed you in

You were in prison and we visited You in the brink

 

We gave You clothes when You were bare

You were the “least of these” and meek

When you were sick, we gave you care

For it is Your Kingdom on earth that we seek.

 

Give us this Christmas enough bread for one day

and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

And lead us not into the apathetic way

For  THINE is the Kingdom, the Power and Glory forever.

Hallelujah!

Shalom!

Amen.

original poem inspired by the writings of Luke, Matthew, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Micah, Lisa Harper, Shane Claiborne, Adolphe Adam, William Kirkpatrick and the red letters of Jesus Christ.

illustration by Kelly Latimore Icons