Walls

 

 

Walls, walls, walls

Walls of every sort and fashion,

Walls of division and derision

Walls to create separation.

 

Ethnic walls, religious walls

Walls to promote racial slur,

Physical walls, walls imagined

And any other kind preferred.

 

Tall walls and long walls

Walls that go down very deep,

Very difficult to dig under

Impossible to climb, too steep.

 

Fenced in, strong barricades

Walls that cannot be breached,

All outside must stay outside

But keep inside within reach.

 

Walls of colour, walls of class

Stay clear of these dividing lines,

A couple of these walls around today

Remind us of biblical times.

 

 

A city’s strength lay in its walls

As in the case of Jericho,

Tall and broad and deep as well,

A discouragement to any foe.

 

However, today it is different

Well, with one major exception,

No need to mention it, you’d agree

They are bent on its erection.

 

The Wailing Wall is still a fact

The Berlin wall came down,

Today’s focus is not physical walls

But the dividing walls around.

 

Walls erected in our minds

To keep our brothers at bay,

Walls for the powerful and the wealthy

Nothing much the poor can say.

 

All men are brothers, we often say

And we even sing it in a song

But erect walls to keep him out

And we can’t see that this is wrong.

 

The greatest wall is selfishness

The scourge of the human race

And our plunge to degrading depths

Has now become commonplace.

 

Walls, walls, all kinds of walls,

Unaware we’re cutting our own throats,

The destitute and the filthy rich

Are going down on the very same boat.

 

 

A word to the wise is sufficient

It matters not from whom it comes,

Build bridges now instead of walls

And so much more can be done.

 

You may have read in the Word

Of the middle wall of partition,

Between the Gentile and the Jew

There was great contention.

 

But Jesus’ cross was the bridge

That obliterated the middle wall,

Now it matters not the differences

Once we respond to his call.

 

The call to unity in Jesus Christ

Has broken down all these walls,

His peace has made us one in him,

Why not respond to his call?

 

Stewart Russell © July 2019

 

The Walls We Build

  

We spend much time building walls of hate and greed,

In no time relationships are severed with lightning speed!

These are the walls we build not low, but high;

Nothing good about our neighbor must ever catch the eye.

Construction is swift on walls of jealousy and envy,

Look at me as I build and tell me what you see.

I see a wall tall, great and strong, I cannot breach,

I see a soul in need, next to me, but yet out of reach.

Then there are the walls of un-forgiveness, what a sight!

Casting great shadows around thus blocking the light.

But we, refusing to yield even the slightest bit

Will carry this fight to our neighbor showing true grit.

I see a great wall only concerned with mine and me,

My sanctum sanctorum, there I alone can be free.

It blocks my view from anyone without,

I am simply concerned with just me without a doubt.

You complain and fret while bombarded with fear,

I am secure behind my wall why should I care?

Your problem’s your own, it’s none of my concern,

I couldn’t care whether you sink, crash or burn.

Why should I bother about what concerns me not?

Why should I care whether someone lives or rot?

Why should I take precious time and ponder your mess,

When my walls are secure and I am at rest?

If only you could be in my position what would you do?

About the plight of your neighbour tell me your view.

I am sure you would do just as I am doing now,

Beyond your wall you wouldn’t see anyone anyhow.

Are you aware of how I come by what I now possess?

Do you know of the sacrifice and many hours of stress?

I tell you, man, I struggled and fought to attain this crest

That bears testimony that I was intent on doing my best.

And now you want me to share as though it were a free for all

While you criticize me making your pious judgment call.

I am unmoved by your chat and your silly little game,

I shall endeavour to build my walls of security just the same.

  

There was only one Jesus and I know you know I am not he

Take up the Bible and read, it won’t take you long to see.

I do not intend to match his life for that’s sheer futility

And anyone who believes he can is displaying sheer stupidity.

Oh, the walls of excuses have been built so very tall,

That there’s almost no way to breach them at all, at all!

Remember, the walls we construct to shut out our neighbour

Are the walls that block the way that leads to the Saviour.

So let’s examine the walls we have tirelessly built to last,

The walls we construct to protect our endeavours of the past.

They will come to naught for only in Christ they can stand,

Nothing is forever, except that which is held by His hand.

Stewart Russell © 2011