12/06/2025
Have you ever seen Undercover Boss? Where the owner/boss goes in disguise to a business that they own, gets a job at an entry level position, and finds out first hand exactly what’s going on? They see the good, bad & ugly, and usually work a day or a week before they just can’t take anymore and have to reveal who they are so they can fix all the problems.
Well, I read a story recently kind of like that. A dad sent his son undercover to fix a bunch of things that he knew were wrong. And the son completely immersed himself in the culture, for years. Not just a day, week or month, though. He lived with them. Went to school, church, shopped… he got to know them on a very personal level.
After quite a few years, the son eventually began to tell people who he was, and that his dad had sent him to repair things and help people see where they needed to improve and change. Surprisingly, even after all this time, a lot of the folks didn’t believe him. Some did, and actually were allowed to meet the dad. But most of the people told the son they thought he was a crazy impostor. And they began to devise a plan to get rid of him. To kill him.
This is where the story really gets puzzling. The dad could have pulled the son out at this point, and brought him back home to safety, but he let him stay in the middle of the trouble and continue his work. He didn’t intervene when his son was arrested on a bunch of false charges. The dad just watched as a bunch of punks beat him up, guards tortured him, and his name was dragged through the mud.
The judge tried to fix it, because he could tell that the son hadn’t done anything wrong and all the accusations were fake. But the crowd of public opinion was so overwhelming that the judge was afraid he’d lose his position, or maybe even his life. So he caved to the pressure, found him guilty, and sentenced him to die.
The son remained willing to do what his dad wanted. He didn’t appeal the sentence. He didn’t argue or fight back. And the public ex*****on was carried out the very next day.
The father actually had to turn His back on his son, because he couldn’t bear to watch. The son cried out to his dad in pain and anguish, asking why. Moments later, the son said “it’s finished”, and stopped breathing. He did this because he believed that’s what his dad wanted him to do, to make things right for all the people he loved.
We aren’t sure exactly what day the son was born, but we celebrate it this month, on December 25th. And we also remember his death. But not in the way you might expect. Because after he died, true life began.
Several of the son’s friends chronicled his life. It’s a truly eye opening read. The book of Luke is a good place to start, since we are thinking about his birthday.
And by the way, I sure am glad that the Father sent his Son. Because without Him, my life would be a complete and utter mess. He was, without a doubt, the greatest Gift ever given.
