Christian Living

---

Before Jesus

“Before Jesus”, Mother said, with serious ,somber eyes -
“Before Jesus”...and I knew this was no time for lies.
“What happened at your friends house?”
My eyes fell lower still.
I felt inadequate to say
The things we’d talked about that day -
No gauges helped me - (just a child
Who’d been protected all this while.)

“I saw a picture, Mother, but I looked before I knew
The figure in the telescope would be....nude...
I felt so bad, because, well...I laughed...not knowing what to do -
And Mother, I just couldn’t say a thing like that to you.
You said, ‘Be careful what you see -
Be careful what you hear -
Be careful of the paths you take;
The Lord is always near.’”

As I look back on yesteryear and those two solemn faces,
I think of all the time that’s passed,
The many traveled places!
I did not know that time would etch
This scene upon my mem’ry -
That I would pull it up again
After more than half a century.

It gives me clues of what we were-
A day of gentler living.
A day so different from this time -
Days of caring - giving.
Neighbors worried about neighbors
And took their cares to God,
Then put the muscle in their prayer
And helped them turn the sod.

A day when innocence was held
As if some hoarded treasure;
And everyone could comprehend
Its loss was beyond measure.
It can’t be given back again -
The damage won’t erase -
It was a thing you’d like to hold inside
Till you see Jesus’ face.

“Before Jesus” ... How will it be?
For nations, creeds, humanity?
When nothing’s hidden, shadows gone,
Illumination exposes wrong -
And..we’ll be glad, remembering
The prayers we said to straighten things;
The guard we put before our way
Because we pledged again that day.

“Be ye holy, for I am holy”

©© 2007 by Joan Clifton Costner
Under His Wings Heavenly Poetry
Joan is a Heavenly Inspirations Author.
This poem may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE