Jesus. The Holy One. Gods' only son.

It had all been done, but not yet complete,

Not enthroned with the Father on His mercy seat, but still hanging

What seemed like defeat

Blood pumping pain through his body with every beat

As each breath comes as painful sigh, Out of the corner of his eye he sees,

Mother.

Not like any other, so much more than a brother

Because family had become more.

More than names and DNA pumping through veins

More than strained awkward moments of gathering at Holiday Tables

More than Cain and Abel, or filling empty stables,

Because “Family”, Jesus said, shares more than a home.

They share God. So even though it seems odd to not give the nod to those who share a name

Mary doesn't complain, because she's come to believe

Started to realize and sees with new eyes, that God has a pretty big picture in mind.

And it doesn't even stop at humankind.

But for all of creation, the offer of “NEW”, so much bigger than fitting into

The hearts of me and you, but not so big that He overlooks the least.

The bullied, the voiceless, the powerless and freaks.

The orphans and widows are for whom His heart still beats.

And so He reaches out again, in love to a friend,

But so much more than a friendly other, a beloved brother,

And introduces them for the first time, as son, and mother.

Saying much more than words in one simple introduction,

Like an induction to a new way of living, a way of giving up what we thought we knew

For something “capital T” for True, and upon further review we hear something for us to do too -

You see, our painful lives tend to blur those around, like headphones shutting out the sound

And letting us drown in oceans of self-absorption, and having our portion, we're content

To pray for OUR needs.

But even as He bleeds, the God-Man leads us to old ways made New,

Challenging us to change our view and have hearts transformed

To let go of the norm. To shed our obsession with self, and see with God's eyes,

And to be surprised by the people and things right outside our door,

Way outside our walls. Or maybe even, inside.

So what happens if we let go of self and reduce our emphasis on wealth or even health

Because true health won't come from drugs and regiments to follow,

Not having more surgeries or more pills to swallow

And true family doesn't simply happen by being born, as we look out on a procreating nation still torn

Truth only comes as we fix our eyes on Christ, and allow the author and perfector of our lives

To speak His words that cause mountains to move, and holding palms open have nothing to prove,

To the King of all, to follow HIS way, and like those who were near heard Him say,

As He was crucified on that day, words that came as a flood of Love to obey,

And living this way without caution, the situation offered no other option,

Than the first Christ-centered adoption,

As New mother and New son saw each other and smiled,

they realized they were both actually HIS child...