There was a young soldier in the German army
During World War Two. He was opposed to the war
Because he was a Christian. He knew it was wrong
What his country was doing, but he went along
Because he had no choice. He had zero rapport
With fellow soldiers. On nothing they could agree.

He was not enthusiastic. Officers knew
Of his sentiment. They made his life difficult.
“Who among us does not have bright and gleaming eyes?”
They would ask. “Here’s an old man whom we should despise.”
They’d find any opportunity to insult
This person, and there wasn’t a thing he could do.

On a cold winter evening, it was Christmas Eve.
He was standing guard duty alone as he heard
People singing Christmas songs which made him feel sad
Because his thoughts were with his loved ones. So he had
A deep sense of frustration. His heart was interred
In a hell whose grotesqueness was hard to believe.

The next morning a young woman called to him from
A window. She did not speak German, and he spoke
Not her language. She offered him something to eat
And some drink. Her country had fallen in defeat
To the Germans. What kind of love does this evoke?
From where does this kind of pure benevolence come?

They invaded her country. They were enemies,
But that didn’t much matter. On that Christmas day,
Both received something special. Christ said that we should
Love the ones who would hate us. It does the soul good.
What she did was most certainly the Christian way.
Is it worth it to see the way that Jesus sees?