"Some Stupid Things" [Module#163] (Luke 12:4; Gen 2:9, 15-17)

I’ve heard a lot of stupid things
About the Jews, which silence brings;
Those undercurrents – deadly stuff,
Which Hitler used, enforced by toughs –

For mostly it went silently –
“Exterminate them all”, said he;
He pressed for what his kin desired –
An end to Jews whom God inspired.

But as you pointed out, O Lord,
What’s shouted now was the seldom heard
Aloud when Hitler had his day –
Six million killed that silent way.

First stupid thing? “Prayers of the Jews,
God does not hear without good news
Accepted – Jesus as the way
To God; the rest are turned away”.

That, by a Christian pastor-type;
In public two – soul dark as night –
It’s not by group, or brand we’re saved,
But by God’s grace – He’s not afraid –

To call a spade a spade and say,
“You’ll be surprised on judgment day
Who’s in, who’s out – first shall be last,
And last ones first, when light is cast –

“Upon your scene’s reality,
When stupid things which came to be,
Are seen for what they are in-deed –
Of darkness, not of light from Me.”

The second? “Jews no friendship had
With Father-God, few called him ‘Dad’;
It’s only ‘we’ who have ‘The Son’
Who walk with God, the Holy One”.

Now there’s some folks do not see
What’s in plain sight – Christ came that we
Might also walk with God through night
Surrounding us – He brought us light.

New Testament is “Old” boiled down
For export here, to “Gentile” ground;
“New Covenant” was not “new deal”,
But broader reach, that all might feel –

God’s love for all created life,
Which is “of Him” – the Jews are right –
They learned through long and painful years
God’s dream – that life that’s real appear.

Like student brought to front of class
To demonstrate – that all at last
Might “get” the lesson God would teach,
And heal at last our Eden-breach.

Two-thousand-year-head-start they had;
That’s four today – our two quite sad –
So much of history we’ve walked
In hatred, fighting – not much talk.

To me that’s just a culture-clash –
The Babel-gift played out to cast
A governor on stupid ways
’Till all can see God’s wisdom pays.

But don’t confuse that with the light –
No group or culture’s got it right;
But when God’s Spirit enters in,
We come to birth – new lives begin.

Third stupid thing? “God in a box
Is what Jews had, and thus they walked,
Unlike us newbies on the block,
Who of the Son of God now talk –

“And it’s that box they worship still;
Why, after Jesus, on that hill,
They sacrificed, they could not see
That Jesus died for them, like me”.

Again, folks just don’t get it yet –
The Jews had shifted then – they get
Indeed the point of sacrifice;
It’s not that they’ve not seen the light.

Their shift? To sacrifice of prayer
(A concept Christians use – compare
Both versions (not for all, but some
In each group thus to Father come)).

Two brothers fighting in the sand,
Boxed in within this Gentile land;
We’ve lots to learn – so much we’ve missed –
All cultures struggle in the mist.

Corollary to that, of course,
“The Jews no Spirit have – resource
Of grace from God quite foreign is
To Jews – they live without life’s fizz –

“At most, their big men had it, yes,
But not the hoi-poloi – much less
The average leader at Christ’s time;
God’s absence made them close their minds –

“To what Christ Jesus said and did;
Why, best of them just ran and hid;
We’re King of Castle, can’t you see,
God’s pecking order starts with me!”

I do not think one group has all
Its ducks in order – since the fall,
All people walk the Pilgrim’s road;
God’s grace is present for each load.

If folks would just take time and read
Their journal, they would quickly see
They’re mixed just like we’re mixed today –
Some walk with God, some walk away.

I think the issue different is –
Jews face us with a way to live;
The best live humbly just like us,
And walk the Spirit-walk through fuss.

But Jews and Christians both engage
In life which says of mankind’s ways,
“You’ve got it upside down, my friend –
Your start is where to leave, not end.”

For mankind says, “Make centerpiece
Of life whatever gives you peace,
Except God of eternity –
For that’s the point of Eden – see?”

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