Wisdom's Children

“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,

“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” Luke 7:31-35

Wisdom's Children

They have not learned the bully's skills
nor have they learned aggression
those things come from being human
but these have learned compassion.

They have not learned to grab or bite
nor hide when troubles come
they rise up when others cry out
and bring the calm and salve.

They have not learned to hold a grudge
or be self-serving and vain
instead they rejoice with others
and tend those who weep.

They did not learn to break promises
nor turn way when friends are weak
they shared the little food they had
and waited until others are well.

These are the children of our faithfulness
when we forgive love is born
when we let go of anger peace is set free
and our children grow in wisdom.

When we harbor hate and fear
we starve the vulnerable and least
when we will not bend with need and change
we cut off the weakest and bind them up.

The children of wisdom seek love first
they dance in the light and the rain
they hold onto to love boldly
fiercely love and tenderly hold on.

The children of wisdom are our to feed
we can supply them richly or choke them off
we can make them weeds or elegant flowers
by how we choose to demonstrate our compassion.