The Virtuous Path
I listened to a conversation I didn't mean to enter
but an evil sneer sent in my friend's direction
led me to speak before I realized it was a mistake.
In defense of my spiritual sister,
and the Truth of God's Word,
I very calmly asked a stranger
why he believed the Bible was wrong.
His response was a finger, shaken in my face
and unsavory words I'd not repeat.
I shook the dust from my feet and turned away.*
But before I was able to take two steps,
the stranger continued to rant,
"You know the Bible is out of date.
It doesn't matter what it says!"
I sighed, took a breath and said a silent prayer.
"Sir, if you will kindly allow me to say a word or two,
I'll continue our discussion in a peaceful manner."
He looked uncertain, so I began to speak of my beliefs,
but he stopped me in mid-sentence and said,
"That's nonsense! I don't want to hear any more."
I learned long ago that a soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger,** so I said, "Have a good day."
He smirked as though he'd won a victory in a game of Chess,
looking at me as if I were a loser, a pawn, and he a king,
so besotted with himself, thinking he had won.
There was a grin on his face, laced with honied contempt.
I nodded to my friend, and she concurred with me,
leaving at this moment was what we had to do,
knowing in our hearts, it's what God expected of us.
I allowed the stranger to wear a hollow crown
in which there is no honor, no triumph or glory.
I didn't say, "Sir, your reasoning is flawed."
With one more Divine inspired thought I'd have said,
"Checkmate," but it would've been a waste of time
to throw my pearls before the feet of swine..."***
I recalled, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."****
With enlightenment right in front of him,
he refused to see that his reality is merely a fantasy,
so in darkness he remains... His shallowness betrayed
what his heart may have spiritually enfolded.
How unfortunate and tragic it is to me, that blind ones
are concerned about nothing more than winning a battle
but fail to comprehend the reason for the war.
October 12, 2021
The High Road Contest
Sponsor: Gina McIntosh
* Matthew 10:14 ** Proverbs 15:1
*** Matthew 7:6 ****Matthew 23:12
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