Financial Leeches [#15] (Matthew 5:38-42)
In days of old, old Moses said,
“Eye for an eye – by that to be led –
Tooth for a tooth, contain effects
Of anger when you get upset”.He said this for there’s always been
Financial leeches – we’ve all seen
Folks “Do to us,” as saying goes,
They’ll clean us out as goodness knows.What Moses sought to do that day,
In talk about the leeches’ way,
Was put a lid on rising heat
In desert sun – to future meet.For law of desert life was grim –
Blood-feuds took hold from some small sin,
And escalated, wild became
A threat to children of God’s name.So, “No more than s/he did to you;
We must survive; keep long-term view;
One eye? one eye – one tooth? – one tooth
Don’t let ‘one up,’ as style, take root.”Then Jesus said, “Take next step too –
Upgrade your life, I’m urging you,
Pull in the edges of your road,
To narrow path on which to go.“For what God gives, you cannot lose;
God is your source through gifts to you;
So double what’s then leeched – you choose;
Be generous with one-way schmooze –“Push down to bed rock in their lives,
God’s love through you do not disguise,
But flaunt it like a lamp on stand –
You’ll see abundance in your land.”Live in an atmosphere of God;
To those around it will seem odd;
Clean up the soul-soil of their lives;
Create a space where Spirit thrives.For leeches spy your pack-sack filled
With resource; plan their raids; and will
Use every means at their command,
To suck resource from what’s at hand.Like tofu, cash picks flavor up,
So with their take, they get our stuff
About the gifts and love of God –
So they quite soon start acting odd.But all that’s farther down the road;
Look close at self, and you’ll soon know
Where you are at in Jesus’ way
Of doing life – change flow today.navigation