Of Bread and Crumbs

 

 

If it tastes as good as it smells

It’ll take just a crumb,

Just a crumb or two to prove

My assertion is not dumb.

 

The crumb tastes no different

From the entire bread

And if I couldn’t have the loaf

I’d have a crumb instead.

 

Or maybe two or three

As they fall from the table,

After all, bread is the staff of life

That means, it’s a staple.

 

And so, she approached Jesus

With her critical request,

She wanted healing for her daughter

That was not at her best.

 

At first, he ignored her,

At least, that’s how it appeared

But she was persistent

About her daughter’s welfare.

 

The disciples were annoyed

And wished she be sent away

And the answer Jesus gave to her

Said it was not her day.

 

He had come to Israel’s house

And she was of the Greeks,

Most would have gone away

But she continued to speak.

 

 

Ignored the first time

Abruptly brushed off the second,

This time she knelt and worshipped him

Hoping something would happen.

 

The answer Jesus gave her

To me seemed rather harsh

And I must confess if it were me

I’d surely have gasped.

 

Did he call her a dog?

Goodness gracious, but why?

Then again, that he needed rest,

None would dare deny.

 

After all, he was human then

And could crack under strain

And people just kept on coming

Again, and again.

 

This may have been so

For the disciples and all others

But in the case of Jesus

It was a different matter.

 

 

A lesson was truly unfolding

For them and for us,

It was what great faith looks like

As one responds to Jesus.

 

This woman was focused

And to me this is clear

As she demonstrated to all and sundry

A faith greater than her fear.

 

The bread was not for her

The disciples would have said,

And Jesus mirrored their feelings

As the woman pled.

 

You would recall that they said

To send her away

But what hope would she have had

When Jesus is the way?

 

If they learnt the lesson then

I really cannot tell

But Jesus commended the woman

And made her daughter well.

 

She had had a demon

But didn’t we all

Until we put faith in Jesus Christ

And were drawn to God.

 

One way to God the Father

And it’s through Jesus the Son,

For both Jew and Gentile

In one predetermined kingdom.

 

Herein is the lesson

Re the lost house of Israel,

In Abraham’s seed all will be blessed

Meaning all earth’s people.

 

Of Jews, Gentiles and Greeks

And of Syro-Phoenicia too,

Like this woman and her daughter

And like me and you.

 

Jesus commended her faith,

It was of the persistent type

But understand Jesus did the healing

Not some emotional hype.

 

While faith is important

It does not replace God,

God must always be faith’s object,

Beware of Satan the Fraud.

 

 

The bread was for the children

But not merely the Jews

And this miracle sent this signal

Though many Jews refused.

 

They that come to Christ

He will in no way refuse

And it matters not their ethnicity

Be they Germans or Jews.

 

Despise not the crumbs

They’re the same quality as the bread,

I believe not a crumb was wasted

When Jesus thousands fed?

 

Jesus is the living bread

That came to us from heaven

And they that live by his every word

Are eternally forgiven.

 

Stewart Russell © April 29, 2024

 

The Four Friends

I read of a man that had four friends

He was truly blessed,

The man was sick and lay on his bed

For a while this was his test.

How he longed to be made whole

But no cure was forthcoming,

His friends heard of a certain man

That was in his village preaching.

These four friends I shall name

Only as someone once suggested,

The source I read did not so do

But my attention they surely arrested.

The first of the names was Sympathy

He noticed his friend’s condition,

He longed to do something for him

And he was moved by his compassion.

He got together with another friend

Whose name was Cooperation,

The two of them were really bent

On relieving their friend’s condition.

The third friend got in the mix

His name was Originality,

He set about thinking of a way

To rid his friend of his malady.

Sympathy heard of an opportunity

And Cooperation was quick to assist,

Originality came up with a plan

But they three lack the drive to persist.

That’s when Persistence got involved

He said, “Friends we cannot give up.

None of us would be happy like this,”

As together on their friend they looked.

Their friend was unable to walk

But he certainly had to be moved,

So they all looked at Originality

And he went into his thinking groove.

  

“Each one at a corner,” he suggested

Cooperation was quick to agree,

Sympathy and Persistence followed suit

And they moved with alacrity.

Picture them waking through the village

With their lame friend on his bed,

No doubt some had stopped to stare

These four must be out of their heads.

Problem number one was solved

But up came problem number two,

Up ahead at their destination

A large crowd came into view.

Sympathy looked at their friend dejected  

Cooperation said, “Let’s get him there.”

Originality replied, “I have a plan.”

Persistence insisted, “Let’s not stop here.”

So on they went, this confident four

Intending to force their way through

But the one they sought could not be reached

Still something more they must do.

Persistence said, “We must find a way.”

Sympathy said, “That’s for sure.”

“Let’s make some rope with his bed sheets

And through the roof we’ll have lowered.”

You don’t have to guess this was Originality

Cooperation quickly got on board,

Sympathy and Persistence did their bit

And together they had him lowered.

Up to the roof the four did climb

Bearing the weight of the crippled man

Removing tiles from the roof of the house

They executed Originality’s plan

The rest is history, I’m sure you know

That this paralytic man was healed,

I am sure too you are also aware

Of the tongue lashing the healer received.

Before he was healed his sins were forgiven

And this left the Scribes aghast

But Jesus showed that he had such power

And left his physical healing for the last.

“Arise, take up your bed and walk.”

This he said to the crippled man,

Both body and soul of the man were healed

The culmination of a well executed plan.

This is the message of the Gospel

That we tell our loved ones about Christ

And that we persist even further afield

And witness of his sacrifice.

It will definitely require much Sympathy

Cooperation and Originality too

And more than a bit of Persistence

To ensure we get this message through.

These four combined in a display of faith

That all believers should emulate,

The one in whom no trust is misplaced

And to whom we can personally relate.

Jesus is that one of course

And he sits at the Father’s right hand,

And there he intercedes on our behalf

And shepherds us like no other can.

Stewart Russell © July 2018

My Friend WAG

I have a great friend

WAG is his name,

When we were growing up

Mischief was his game.

He had good parents

Both now deceased

But he was rather disgusting

This is to say the least.

I watched him grow up

He is younger than me,

We attended the same primary school

But not the same secondary.

Same church I must add

In this poem I will not name it

But as he grew older

Mischief was no longer a habit.

Oh, but he had a tough life

Tougher than most of us,

At times forced to change jobs

Conflicting with his faith in Jesus.

At school he struggled with English

Seems he couldn’t make the grade

But with great persistence thereafter

A pass he finally made.

Art too he pursued

Both “O” level and “Advanced”,

At both he achieved success

This was where he got his chance.

He was good at sketching

A face upon one’s description,

This would go a long way

In assisting crime investigation.

While working in the force

He became the first official police artist

And through this gift from God

He developed a lifelong practice.

  

Through his artistic expression

He has gained many a success,

Both locals and internationals

Have gazed upon his best.

Among his several accolades

Are awards of International note,

In Italy, England and Canada

He was the winner at the end of their vote.

This outstanding scout for years

Was presented to the Governor General

On the the 60^th anniversary

Of scouting in Barbados.

 

He was presented also to the Queen

On a visit to this country,

For the 350^th anniversary of Parliament

WAG shook hands with Her Majesty.

These are just a few

Of the kudos he received,

Fair exchange for the trust he showed

In the principles that he believed.

I cite his work in education

While working in that Ministry

He once served as a tutor

At the Cave Hill University.

Here’s an interesting point of interest

You would recall his challenge with English,

Well, while pursuing a degree in the Arts

He was the yearbook editor at his College.

For three years he held that post

And did a great job based on the reviews,

Not daunted by failures of the past

Took the challenge to head up College News.

While I could go on and on

How he achieved from a small beginning

I will conclude with two achievements

That would make a happy ending.

 

First the several books he has written

His first in the year two thousand,

His sixteenth in two thousand and sixteen

Year of our fiftieth anniversary celebration. 

Having retired from the Public Service

He now has his own enterprise,

A symbol of growth and development

By God’s grace much has been realized.

His course he navigates with determination

His life dedicated to its demand,

His destiny constantly in his focus

He works with heart and head and hands.

Like WAG we can all aspire

To be the best that God would require,

To press on even when we tire

To become workmen worthy of our hire.

Stewart Russell © 2016