a chance to talk to him in the flesh
a chance to hold his brown wrinkled hand in mine
i'm pretty sure she'd like that too
even if she doesn't call it jesus;
she would like to be looked in the eyes
and talked with, not at or, worse, not at all
her skintight shirt her only shield to the night, and hate.
i think he would know if jesus-skin offered him a real meal
not a value meal, not a dollar in change
but true change, life change
and priceless love, cigarette burning ash
and eyes that see past cardboard "laziness."
who am i to want him here
but not to be him here?
how can i not feed his sheep
when that's all he's ever asked?
to love as he loved
surely that's an impossible task
how can i? won't i get hurt? won't it cost too much?
his hands are browned and worn, and
he grips that little hand all white and chubby, and
there is a light in both their eyes,
like lightning,
the kind that burns the soul,
and i think that's the first step
to walking jesus feet-
to love without condition
ann asked how we can be jesus's hands, reaching out to the hurting in the world, and this is a poem i wrote as an initial reply. join her for walk with him wednesday?
9 comments:
The poem is beautiful Misty! I loved how you saw those in needs through their need for Jesus. I think when you live in suburbia like I do, you can forget about the needy. I didn't have anything to write today..I was thinking about it and it seems like my life has taken over. I just realized that I have paid much attention to this area of my walk and I need to. I know people will say "you just had a baby, blah blah blah". But I need to follow God's commandments. I need to look at people and see their needs and hurts regardless of what is happening in my life!
A light like lightening in their eyes . . . I love it. May we all have his light in our eyes!
"who am i to want him here but not to be him here?"
Powerfully convicting and inspiring. Thank you.
Wow! Powerful and poignant.
Misty!
I came here to tell you something, and you told me something, instead! Your words are beautiful, and I feel like Mary, with a need to "ponder them in my heart" awhile.
I went looking for a post I wrote some time ago about "broken alabaster jars." Obviously I don't label too well. I never found it. :)
The post recorded some of my thoughts on the trouble I have with balance: I want to spill out without calculating. But I don't want to waste my resources by spilling where God never intended WHILE neglecting the garden in my own backyard. I ridiculously overthink everything. :)
Anyway --
what I wanted to tell you was that when I read your comment at my place today, a song immediately sprang to my mind. I don't know if you'd care for her music or not, but if you have access to Sarah Geoheagan (Go-hay-gan) on iTunes, her song "I'm a Dreamer" says:
"There is grace... Grace to be just where I am... Grace to make mistakes and then... Grace to get back up again..."
and the song in general just seemed to reflect (to my limited knowledge!) where you seem to be right now. It's a folksy, singer-songwriter type of music, but if you like that kind of stuff, I'd recommend that album. It's very poetic, to me.
So -- "I hear ya!" Relationships are complicated, and God isn't surprised by that. :) There's no better way to learn that by living stuff out for a lifetime. What an ingenious creation, family -- through it we come to understand without words, even, how to relate to an Almighty God who cannot be pinned down. He is Father, Brother, Friend... and without having to tell us what these things are, we instinctively know. Yes, we live that, don't we, since the day we're born. The comparisons pale, but the jist is there. We understand nothing is pat, nothing is simple. We understand it's irrevocable and important and bigger than ourselves. It's an interesting subject, I think.
Okay. Enough philosophizing -- on to 3rd grade math. :) Have a good Wednesday!
beautiful misty. glad to be reading your words again.
Lovely, and hard to read. This is a topic that makes me squirm. A lot.
Truly beautiful. And completely humbling.
Wow.
"who am i to want him here
but not to be him here?"
You have quite a way to sink the words in our hearts. Blessings for what you're sharing!
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