stones and love

metal print - Jesus Abstract - by Shevon Johnson

 

 

throw the first stone

take up the cross

pray for your enemy

sell what you have

 

these are

the hard to hear words

of jesus

 

love yourself

love your neighbor

be a light in the world

 

these words

sound a bit easier

but they are just

as difficult

 

love yourself

     go ahead throw the first stone

love your neighbor

     pray for your enemy

 

do to others

as you would have them

do to you

 

love yourself

love your neighbor

 

and there they stood

holding signs

with rock throwing messages

outside the

boy scouts building

 

one caught my eye

on the evening news

and the image stuck

 

the sign read:

don't let sin into the camp

 

in other words

KEEP OUT

GO AWAY

 

i recall hanging this very message on

my bedroom door

when i

was

      seven

 

but this person holding a sign

with a rock throwing message

in front of cameras

was not seven

 

        but when i became an adult,

        i put away childish things

           

don't let sin into the camp

 

it seems

sin is already in the camp

written on her cardboard sign

and all over her face

 

don't let sin into the camp

 

it seems
sin is already in the camp

evidenced by the inability

of so many to see anything other than

sex acts

when they consider

those who are homosexuals

 

as if any one person

can be reduced

and or identified

by sex acts alone

 

don't let sin into the camp

 

it seems

sin is already in the camp

 

the rocks throw so easily

the anger so vile

 

love yourself

and do to others

as you would have them

do to you

 

i suppose the inability to do so

might be considered

the sin

the brokenness

 

that hurts

you and me

and them and us

 

in the end

all of us