ONE CHRISTMAS EVE

One Christmas Eve.

by Gene Minix

Cold hard winter in Kodiak
And not very much light.
But the moon shining above
Helped to brighten the long night.
Kodiak Joe snuggles into bed,
A bottle still in his hand.
My, what an awful hard
And mean person, this man.

He had cheated many a person
Even on this very day.
He clutches tight his bag of gold
And smiles as he puts it away.
Something comes to his mind,
A family up the trail so very sad.
Thieves had stolen the few
Christmas gifts they had.

Kodiak Joe had heard of this
On his visit to town today.
But really it was of no concern,
He couldn't just give money away.
The mama and daddy had
Sacrificed many a day
To save up for a few toys
And now thieves had taken them away.
Little Besty had no doll,
The boys no skates to play.
Mama would have no new dress
Come Christmas day.

But really that was just their bad luck,
Kodiak Joe told himself
As he pulled the covers tight,
And there was no compassion felt.
But in the wee hours
Of this cold northern night
A visitor made his way to Joe's,
Oh what an awful gruesome sight.

Who are you, Kodiak Joe cried!
Have you come to kill or rob?
He looked into the creature's face
As he held tight to his money-god.
Nah, mister, I have not come to rob
You on this cold winter's night.
I have come to beg you
To change your life and do right.

I once had the world
By the tail, you see.
But look at these rags I wear tonight.
Yes, take a close look at me.
Greed took control of me.
I gave up friends and family.
Gold became my god,
Nothing else mattered to me.

I watched people starve
And I gave not a penny away.
I done nothing to help them.
I had no kind words to say.
I lived all to myself.
"I" was all that mattered, can you see?
And I died all alone one night,
Yes, take a close look at me.

My money I could not take.
I left it all behind that day.
I died so lonely, crying in pain
As the devil took me away.
I have just a few moments
To warn you, please Joe.
I beg, don't be the fool I was.
Don't die like I, such pain and woe.

Come to Jesus this night.
How He loves you so.
You don't want to die and go to hell.
Believe me, I surely know.
Don't die all alone
Without a friend around.
Let God put love in your heart
A smile where now is the frown.

Don't be the fool I was.
Look at me once more, Joe.
I am forever doomed you see,
Now I must go.
The chains are cutting my flesh.
I feel the heat of hell burning me.
Kodiak Joe take one last look.
Do you want to be like the one you see?

Was it a dream or was it real?
People have talked but really don't know.
A visitor from hell or just a dream,
Something sure changed Kodiak Joe.
He knelt by his bed there
On that moonlit December night.
And He prayed to God up above
To send him down the light.

To change his way and give life anew.
And God heard from Heaven above.
And around an old lost sinner
Wrapped his arms of love.
Kodiak Joe arose a new man,
His sins taken away.
And very early Christmas Day
He was on his way.

To the house up the trail.
Toys and clothes he'd share.
A knock on the door, a smile,
Could that be Kodiak Joe standing there?
Many and many years passed
In this cold northern land.
And many hearts were made glad
By this kind and gentle man.

God touched a heart and changed a man
In such a very special way
When a stranger visited Joe
With strong words to say.
Yes, Kodiak Joe came to Jesus
On a cold December Christmas Eve in a northern land.
His life would be changed forever
And Kodiak Joe would die a happy and peaceful man.

© Copyright 2009, by Gene Minix.
All rights reserved