There was once a man who did not
believe in either the virgin birth of
Christ or the spiritual meaning behind it,
and was skeptical even about God.
He and his family lived in a farm community.
His wife was a devout believer
and diligently raised
her children in the faith.
He sometimes gave her a hard
time about her belief and
mocked her religious observances.
"It's all nonsense -- why would
God lower himself and become
a human like us?
It's such a ridiculous story," he said.

One snowy day, she and the
children left for church
while he stayed home.
After they had departed,
the winds grew stronger
and the snow turned into
a blinding snowstorm.
He sat down to relax before
the fire for the evening.

Then he heard a loud thump,
something hitting against the window...
And, still another thump.
He looked outside but could not see anything.
So he ventured outside for a better view.
In the field near his house he saw,
of all the strangest things, a flock of geese.
They were apparently flying to
look for a warmer area down south,
but they had been
caught in the snowstorm.

The storm had become too blinding
and violent for the geese
to fly or see their way.
They were stranded on his farm,
with no food or shelter,
unable to do more than flutter
their wings and fly in aimless circles.
He had compassion for them
and wanted to help them.
He thought to himself,
the barn would be a great
place for them to stay.
It is warm and safe;
surely they could spend the
night and wait out the storm.
So he opened the barn doors for them.

He waited, watching them,
hoping they would notice the
open barn and go inside.
Nevertheless, they did not
notice the barn or realize what
it could mean for them.
He moved closer toward them
to get their attention,
but they just moved away
from him out of fear.
He went into the house and
came back with some bread, broke it up,
and made a bread trail to the barn.
They still did not catch on.

Starting to get frustrated,
he went over and tried to
shoo them toward the barn.
They panicked and scattered
into every direction except
toward the barn.
Nothing he did could get them to
go into the barn where there was
warmth, safety, and shelter.
Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed
"Why don't they follow me?
Can't they see this is the only
place where they can survive the storm?
How can I possibly get them into
the one place to save them?"

He thought for a moment and
realized that they just
would not follow a human.
He said to himself,
"How can I possibly save them?
The only way would be for me
to become like those geese.
If only I could become like one of them.
Then I could save them.
They would follow me and I would
lead them to safety."

At that moment, he stopped
and considered what he had said.
The words reverberated in his mind:
If only I could become like one of them,
then I could save them.
Then, at last, he understood
God's heart towards mankind...
and he fell on his knees in the snow.

Author Unknown

"He was in the world,
and the world was made by him,
and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own,
and his own received him not.
But as many as received him,
to them gave he power to
become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man,
but of God.
And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth."

John 1:10-14