The seed of greed may be different

            But the weed is always the same.

The seed you will find is varied

            And goes by a different name.

 

Try the word, envy, you will find

            It is not about money alone.

When envy captures the human heart

            It makes it to be like a stone.

 

The attitude of ingratitude

            May slip in all unobserved,

As it did in the Garden of Eden           

            As the serpent’s voice was heard.

 

The man from the crowd called to Jesus

            Asking Him for one little favor.

It did not seem like greed to them

            Fairness was its flavor.

 

Why should one’s brother

            Get all that the father had?

Why not share with his brother?

            Why did it seem so bad?

 
Redistribution of wealth

            Was all he was asking for.

He did not want his brother broken

            He wanted a “little bit more.”

 

When Jesus told this story,

            Who was He talking about?

The man asking for help

Or the older brother, no doubt.

 

 Was it the brother, luckier than he

            Or him who expressed his need?

Without knowing which was meant

        Who, then, is suffering from greed?     

 

How many trees did Adam have

            In the Garden he called home?

Why did he take from the only one

            God kept for Himself alone?

 

Ten percent seems so little

            When the 90 percent remains.

Would it not be better if we

            Gave Him more of our gains?

 

With 90 percent to live on, why take

            From His tithe what we need?

For cheerfully giving to God what’s His

            Will uproot the weed of greed!

 

 

gvansandt@yahoo.com

July 27, 2004

http://www.drvan.info