“Good News Indeed” (Matt 13:47-49;14-30;36-43)

“Size is not part that evil makes
But twisting of the good;
That makes all life quite vulnerable –
Which I’d not understood.

I thought some actions through and through
Were evil to the core,
But that’s not where the problem lies,
I see that more and more.

To everything both good and pure
Which God, Creator, made,
The evil one – old ‘you know who’–
Slipped in his twisted spade.

The truth is truth, but lie’s a twist,
A flick, like J-stroke’s end,
Which turns the bow to left or right,
Trajectory it bends.

So “Mostly true”, and “Almost right”
And “Not that bad at all”
Pass every day we walk the earth
Since time of Adam’s fall.

Old satan knew what it would take
To have his way with man
And woman on this earth that day –
A twist, then off he ran.

He did not have to wreck it all,
The trees looked just the same;
Except deception came our way,
Thus shifting end-time game.

For we can talk our way into
Some shadowed valley fare,
Until it’s all beyond control
And we are fast-stuck there.

I now see also where we trip –
Our “Needs” and “Wants”, sans “Faith”;
As Jesus pointed out that day,
“God knows, sit back and wait.

“For you can’t change that much out there,
The others do it too;
And have for generations now,
For evil’s nothing new.

“It’s intertwined – with warp and woof,
Dyed in the fabric’s wool;
Inseparable, and just enough
That purists cannot cull –

“The evil from the good – the way
I note in parable,
‘Pull up the evil inter-sown?’
Result’s more terrible –

“ ‘For young plants are quite vulnerable,
You to pull them up as well;
Just bide until the harvest time
When evil’s burnt in hell’.”

“How can that be, it’s intertwined
Like tea and sugar steeped?”
“More like the smelter’s raging fire,
Then farmer’s crop that’s reaped.

“What cannot stand the fire’s, destroyed;
‘Seed-cleaning’ works as well;
The ‘sheep resemble goats’ on farm,
Last days, half go to hell.”

“ ‘Good fish and bad in fisher’s net’–
Analogies expand,
As we move ’round and see new things
In ‘green and pleasant land’.

For Britts think, “Good is how we live,
And evil’s other’s grind;
Just tow the line, and British stay,
In end you’ll make out fine.”

To sell that story, story’s changed –
Cleaned up and sanitized;
It preaches well but it’s not true,
We see with adult eyes.

But then, “It is too late” he gloats,
“Canoe’s too far off course”;
“You’ve gone too far this time, my son,
For you the end’s much worse.”

“Well, “Yes and No” is what I hear
From Gospel page’s word –
Christ died to sweep all that away;
Respond, now truth’s been heard.

“You are not saved by righteousness,
As if the dye’s not there;
Life’s twisted for the lot of you;
Pull weeds, good roots you’ll tear.

“So just don’t bank on fruitless crops
That wave in prairie breeze,
Nutritious fruit cannot be found
In heads the Angels seize.

“To ‘know of good and evil’ means
You get to choose, decide
Location of the line that runs
Twixt sugar, tea, and tide.

“Who’s kidding home? Besides, what then?
You cannot separate
The twist old satan’s added now
To everything – so wait –

“Until the last days when I sort
It all out – shine your light
In darkness; flavor porridge; raise
The bread with leaven’s might.

“For salt, and light, and leaven are
Such tiny parts of life,
Yet everything is different when
They’re present midst your strife.

“Not just for you, but for all folk
Who walks the earth with you;
The good news of a second way’s
For all, not just the few.

“But folks don’t comprehend the fix
You’re in, there – one and all;
So better live, and spread the word –
Christ canceled Adam’s fall –

“No, dye and wool are still entwined,
Inseparable for now;
But you can live in righteousness
In Him – and here is how –

“ ‘Step here, not on that slimy rock’;
‘That boulder rolls, keep off’;
‘Step where I’ve stepped’;’ Hold tight my hand’;
‘At Spirit do not scoff’–

“Because it’s all you have right now,
A way’s laid out for you
Within Creator-Father’s world,
In Spirit you can choose –

“Just where to step, what word to say –
Like map in mine-field’s trap –
Safe passage guided through life’s maze
For satisfaction’s cat.

“It’s not so much that you now choose
Your route, your way you see;
Life’s possible as you abide
And walk it out in Me.

“With Me’s too distant – dangerous
More “In Me” would describe
How close is best that you remain
If you’d this mess survive.”

That blows my mind – for subtlety
Of truth admixed with sin
And evil now explains the mess
I find we all are in.

That frees up piles of time, resource,
For judgment is a task
That I can jettison – I see
It’s best done at the last.

And not by us, that’s way beyond
Our pay-grade, so to speak;
But as we rise each day, we can
Find guidance that we seek.

“Just ask, and seek, and knock my friends”
You said that day, O Lord,
“And you’ll receive, and find, as well,
Doors open at Your word.

Thanks for this insight Lord, this day;
In days which lie ahead,
Help me mature into this truth –
With words by which we’re fed.

Help me, as well, to share this word
With others, trapped like me,
That good news can relieve their plight –
Through life abide in Thee.

Thanks Lord for this.

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