A Devil of a Christmas.

A Devil of a Christmas.

By Kevin Hughes 
Born 1951, M, from Wilmington NC, United States

The Devil looked in the mirror. He was so pretty he almost cried. Out loud he said:

“Amazing. No wonder they call me Lucifer. I can’t believe the Humans think I have horns, hooves, tusks, and all that other crap they made up to make my physical appearance match their idea of my Evil soul.”

That made Lucifer laugh out loud. As if God would make a perfect being that was only perfect on the outside. Suddenly Lucifer stopped laughing.

“I do have one imperfection. Pride. I really thought I could do a better job than God. I was wrong. The Evil done in His name is partly my fault. I can’t seem to stop Humans from coming down here. (he sighed) That’s my punishment. I try to stop Humans from feeling they are the chosen ones, I know where that leads. I was, after all, God’s favorite. The greatest of all his Creations…Lucifer.”





Now, Humans of all kinds are filled with the same kind of self righteous hubris that led me (Lucifer) to charm some of the Heavenly host to follow me. That was a long time ago, and the story has changed over the years. Humans don’t understand forgiveness at God’s level, although they spout it all the time. But Humans want revenge…and God…well, he does not. Which is why I look so good tonight. It is Christmas Eve, and I have been invited to walk with God for a while. Just like every Christmas.

Christmas was always slow for the Devil (Me) anyway. Humans, at least a lot of them, for just a few weeks, try to be the kind caring gentle creatures they were designed to be. After all, they are in God’s image and likeness. Although most of them forget that means they create their world view from scratch, and that they are supposed to be better people at the end of their lives than they were at the beginning. Most of them fall for the old: “Follow me, and that alone will make you better than anyone else.” It makes me sad.

*****
On Christmas Day, God and I were walking the Earth together, when -in a snowy alley in a small town on one of the Great Lakes- we saw two bums freezing by a dumpster. (By the way, when God and I, look at Humans, we see the soul shining through and not the skin covering it. A Human would marvel at how they glow like tiny perfect beings) One of the souls was blazing. As souls always do when they are being kind, loving, compassionate- the very qualities that make up God.




The bum with the blazing soul was giving his cardboard bed, some extra newspaper to shove in the other bums layered rags, and his prized possession … a pillow; so that the other older and in much worse shape bum could be more comfortable. The older bum put up a mild struggle: “No. You will freeze. I will be okay.” But it was a feeble protest. When he was offered the pillow too…well, he protested for real.

“No. No way can I take your pillow! Please, I will be okay. You stuffed enough newspaper in my jacket to keep me warm, and the cardboard is soft and dry. That’s enough.”

The bum with the blazing soul would have none of it. He was stronger and younger than the older bum. He knew he could make it through the night. He wasn’t sure the old bum would. After a short while, the older bum did take the pillow. He offered a prayer of pure gratitude - and fell asleep on it as soon as his head hit the pillow. The younger bum smiled.

The Devil leaned up against God: “They can be so beautiful.”

“I know.”

Was all God said.

He too had shiny eyes.