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What if you had lived in town, close to the virgin girl,

Who spoke of Gabriel’s visit coming from a heavenly world?

What if you had questioned whether what she said was true?

But what if you had wondered why he had not come to you?

Then coming back from Bethlehem, a child now in her arms,

And as you looked into His face, your heart was strangely warmed.

What if you had known Him?

What if you had lived just right around the bend?

What if you had watched Him grow, your children played with Him?

Ever-loving, full of joy, you noticed every day,

The little things—the tender eyes, the kindness of His ways.

When other children kicked and pushed to be the first in line,

He always took the final place. He chose to be behind.

What if you had known Him?

What if you had watched Him grow up through His teenage years,

Uninterested in worldly things, but wise before His peers?

And in the woodshop with His dad, with skillful hands and heart;

You saw the beauty of His work, the glory of His art.

Deep honor for His mother, that was unusually sweet.

The grace of God was always there, rich, and full … complete.

What if you had known Him?

And what if you had heard one day that He had left your town,

And gathered twelve around Him, now a teacher of renown?

That blind and lame were healed by Him in every single place,

And words of glorious truth and life flowed from His lips with grace?

That enemies were rising, but crowds of more and more,

And that He claimed He was the One who all had waited for.

What if you had known Him?

What if you had made your way up to Jerusalem,

And there you saw the mocking trial, false charges against Him?

You watched Him pushed by Roman guards up through the cobbled streets,

And Roman spikes into a cross, pierced through His hands and feet.

And there you watched this child, this boy, this man that you had known,

And suddenly it all was clear, He was the Holy One!

What if you had known Him?

And what if you had mourned three days, with Mary, your dear friend?

(You’d missed your chance to know the Lord, to love and follow Him.)

Then suddenly, the stunning news that something new had come,

That Jesus, the Messiah, had risen from the tomb!

And that He walked among you now, and all who would believe

Could join Him in His kingdom and eternal life receive!

What if you had known Him?

How blessed are those who were not there, their earthly vision dim,

But now by faith have seeing eyes to fall and worship Him.

The door is open, wide and free, for all who’ll rise and come

And give their heart, their life, their all, unto the Risen Son;

And will one day, with bursting hearts, adore Him in the place

He’s building now for endless use, where we will see His face!

Do you know Him?

Bill Elliff

~

(At 8 days old)

When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. (Luke 1:39-40)

(At 12 years old)

And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:51-52)

Copyright © 2025 by Bill Elliff @ billelliff.org. No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org