I’m considering writing a novel.  The story I have in mind is based upon the following premise.  After reading it, let me know what you think.

Two men live in the same community.  One man, is wealthy, powerful, respected for his honesty, his integrity, and his impeccable judgement.  The wealthy man seems to have the Midas Touch.  Among the community, it is often joked that the wealthy man, “owns everything”.  The second man is an employee of the wealthy man.  The second man is poor due to many irresponsible choices in life.  Looked down upon by most, the poor man seems to never have anything go his way.  Among the community, it is often joked that “if you looked up poor judgement or bad luck in a dictionary, you would find a photo of the poor man”.  The poor man has been employed by the wealthy man for years.  After a lifetime of repeated bad on the job decisions, the poor man is caught stealing from his employer, and is fired.

In a moment of angry revenge, the poor man breaks into his former employer’s home to steal what he can.  During the robbery, the poor man is caught by the wealthy man’s wife, and in a final disparate act, kills the wife of his former employer.  A man of great integrity, the wealthy man demands justice for his deceased wife, and insists on the  death penalty for the offender.  The local Prosecutor agrees.  The trial is set.

The murdered woman and her husband are the parents of a son.  The son, like his father,  a man of the highest standards believes the poor man has caused many of his own problems, yet has always had a tender heart for the poor man.  The son, in the most selfless act imaginable, devises a plan that he believes will bring honor to his dead mother,  justice for his father, and hope for murderer.  The son meets with both his father and his mother’s murderer to present the plan.  The father and the murderer agree to the plan.

So what do you think?  Do I have a best seller on my hands?

What?  You aren’t ready to decide.  Not until you hear the plan.  Fair enough.  the plan follows:

1.  The son promises his father a human death to pay for the death of his mother.  The death to be provided will be the son’s own voluntary execution.  The father will accept his son’s substitutionary death as just punishment for the crime.
2. In return, his father must adopt the murderer whom he will then treat as well as he treats his biological son and will guarantee the newly adopted son a share of  the man’s inheritance.
3. In order for the murderer to be forgiven and adopted, the poor man
   1. must confess all of his previous crimes to his former employer,
   2. accept the free gift of forgiveness and adoption provided by the son’s execution,
   3. and turn from his passed life of habitually poor choices.

Now it’s your turn.  Do you believe the book has a chance?

Quite honestly, I can’t write the book.  I can’t write the book because it has already been written.  The Bible already does a wonderful job presenting the story of Christ’s birth, His  life, His mistreatment and unfair trial not for crimes that He committed, but for crimes against man and against God that I committed.  Yes, crimes that I, and all of us have committed not just against each other, but against the God of this Universe.  Crimes that Jesus was ultimately executed for.

If you are already a Believer, please remember to keep Christ in your Christmas celebrations this year.  And Easter as well.

If you are not a Believer.  If you no idea what any of this is about.  If you really think that Christmas and Easter are secular and not religious holidays, then please do some research.  Ask some questions of friends and neighbors whom are truly Christians.  Find a Bible and read the Gospels of Luke and then John.  Have a reason to truly and happily celebrate Christmas and Easter from now on.

Merry Christmas to all!