I had an experience over the weekend that troubled me a great deal until early this morning when I woke up from a sound sleep. Let it suffice to say that you can meet all kinds of people with all sorts of agendas on-line. Some are truly sincere while others appear to have alterior motives than mere friendship. To those true friends out there, thank you. And to those who are less than genuine, auf wiedersehen. From here on out I will be a little more discerning as a samaritan and not a victim.
A Trail of Tears
I met a woman
Along the way
Who carried so much loneliness
She carried it like a cross
And made it known how heavy it was.
I stopped amid my searching
To perhaps make a friend
Like that good Samaritan
Bind a wound or soothe her suffering
But when she looked up to me and said: "Hello good sir, do you know our Savior?"
I was stunned to hear her story
Though it was sad
I wondered why she questioned me
And so I shared my story too
Only to be condemned
For my lifelong following.
It seemed as though she was adept
Like some who wear their love upon a sleeve
At passing judgment through a holy name
But I remained
And listened attentively.
She said:
"Sir, I see you are a kind soul
For stopping by to care in my suffering, but would you mind
My witnessing?
Open your eyes and see
Awaken
How you toil in your beliefs
For it is in every word that brings true salvation,
Not through idols and ointments?"
Well, my friends
I stood there most perplexed
As you can imagine
And wondered what to do next
As it appeared this good woman really did not seem to need my assistance at all.
It was like she saw me coming
From far off
And lay down to catch my curiosity
So that she could preach to me
The word I knew for many years
To be so different than what I had caught within my ears.
"The word," she said,
"Is our salvation
Put aside what others say
What tall towers you perceive
To be the truth proclaimed
Be put to shame for establishments
Of men and their heresies
Come, follow through my prophesy
For I have known suffering
And I know the true path you seek."
So then I listened
Perhaps a little begrudgingly
A story fraught with tears
Of men and hypocrisy
Abuse and sin so undeservedly
And came to this conclusion:
Some say they are forgiven
And forgive for past transgressions
But what they really mean
Their hearts cannot let go of
And so they turn to other explanations
Other means to save all nations
They turn away and hide in seclusion
Studying the word and trusting no one
Who would upset the tiny world they have created
Where once they lived and breathed
Albeit with pain and suffering
But now they choose to blame
And drown within their trail of tears
And carry another cross
To which Calvary I am not sure of.
D.A. Wittler 16'
