a poem

This is a poem I wrote for my English class. It was inspired by an analogy spoken one past Sunday by Mr. Craig Johnson of Hope Culture Church. I wanted to post it here as a helpful reminder to myself and to others that we should not be content with simply being "tourists" or "conservationists" of our churches. Rather, we are called by Christ's love and sacrifice for us to be lifeguards to others who have not experienced the salvation and peace that comes with a relationship with God through Jesus. I also thought it was appropriate because I will be at the beach this summer, trying to save people in a spiritual sense. :)

 

in this realm,
the Sun sees all.
Bums bum breaks of waves
while the chatter of seagulls
and excited peoples
spray the scene like an ocean mist.

Noticeable by off-white tan lines
And new suits, $49.99
Are tourists of beach morality.
Loyalties lie in holier-than-thou
attitudes and the cheapest
umbrellas.
They always have eyes
on others
Eat the bread and
Drink in some Light
with their Coronas.
They leave when they wish,
in and out with shells and sand.

With picket signs sit conservationists,
They are angry crabs-
they pick and prod the coast of debris,
Of beer bottles and fleshy sandy sins.
But they themselves litter the beach
bringing guilt and a wall of judging eyes.

The drowning man!
He struggles in currents without mercy,
burdens on ankles pulling
Deeper into darkness.
Who is to help him?
He calls for all,
anyone, to pluck him from death.
Alas, only one kind helps.
One kind jumps in the water, in the currents,
In with sharks and jellyfish
Sharp rocks and seaweed.

The lifeguards, with eyes stuck on water,
Filled with a Spirit of conviction
Of knowing truly what it means
to be on the beach, saved­­–
He run into the world of waves
Whirling in whistling wind
To help the drinking, drowning man.

This is the Church of the beach.