Throwing Stones

The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many believed in him there. John 10:31-42

Throwing Stones

I am not like them so they
hurl insults and loudly jeer
my tongue speaks a different language
my heart hears a different music
and the want me to disappear.

I set out with good news on my lips
with comfort to share and love
to make known across the region
fear rose up and anger swallowed them
and they ache to do me harm.

My shabby garments are torn from running
my feet filthy and scared from this road
I am weary bent over and gasping
my strength is spent
and my eyes fill with tears.

These are my brothers and sisters
I sat with them at funerals and weddings
the ones who raise their arms with stones
are the one who use to wave at me in school.

We are a broken and frightened family
the well has gone dry and the wages spent
we are fighting over the last bread
we are arguing over ancient words that broke us
we fail to see the heart of God
aching with love for us, even now.

Drop the weapons drop your guard
there is more for the living
than preparing for a fight to the death.

We can be warriors for forgiveness
reckless soldiers of a new tomorrow
fierce guerrillas for a noble cause
we can put down the stones and raise up
a sanctuary for the living God.