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TITLE: Not Good Enough to Be a Winner | Previous Challenge Entry
By Verna Cole Mitchell
02/18/19
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I thought I’d get to heaven’s shore
By simply being good,
Like being kind to everyone
And acting as I should.

I went to church each Sunday morn
And paid tithe faithfully,
Then tried to act throughout the week
With constant piety.

I listened when the pastor spoke.
I even took some notes.
I marked the verses carefully
And memorized great quotes.

I learned the missionaries’ names
And kept them in my prayers.
I had a lot of sympathy
For problems that were theirs.

I didn’t lie or cheat or steal,
Avoided every evil,
Those wrong things put into my path
To trip me by the devil.

I didn’t drink or smoke or chew,
Partake of other vices.
Avoiding wrong appearances,
I practiced sacrifices.

The right way that I tried to live
Did not make me a winner.
The truth that spoke unto my soul
Said I was still a sinner.

There were no deeds that I could do
To make myself sin free.
Christ lived and died and rose again
To pay the debt for me.

Confessing pride and all the rest,
The Lord in His great love
Forgave my sins and gave me hope
For home with Him above.

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Member Comments

Member

Date

Corinne Smelker

02/21/19

Very nicely done. Basically Romans 5-8 is described in these fwe verses!

Betty Castleberry

02/22/19

Great reminder that we are fallen and there's nothing we can do to save ourselves. Enjoyed this well written poem very much.

02/22/19

This flowed so well- and so much truth!

Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom

02/22/19

This is beautiful. It flows so easily. I have tears in my eyes. This belongs on a plaque. It would bless so many people.

02/22/19

Wow...so incredibly lovely!
Thank you.
Blessings~

02/23/19

This is great. Seems like, perhaps, the MC should have paid a bit more attention to the sermons... :)

02/23/19

Yes, this is a good example of how our best efforts aren't good enough.
Your poems always flow over the tongue so smoothly. Thanks for being such an inspiration to me.

02/24/19

Nice rhythm in this truth-filled poem. Well done.

Mariane Holbrook

02/24/19

A good reminder that "not by works, lest any man should boast." In our experience as humans, we're taught that nothing is free, there is a price for everything and the harder you work, the more you gain. But in His kingdom, He did it ALL and our Salvation is free. It's hard for many to grasp this, even among believers, but I think your poem illustrates how completely and fully we must depend on God's grace to save us. A truly, lovely reminder in your well-constructed poem.

02/26/19

In my earlier years, I became somewhat legalistic (like the author) until I learned about grace.

This poem flowed well.

02/28/19

Congratulations on your 2nd place win, Verna. I always enjoy reading your poetry. God has given you an extraordinary gift.

03/01/19

Congrats Verna on winning 2nd place.

03/01/19

Congrats Yvonne on your EC award.

03/01/19

Congratulations! Great message and flowed nicely.