most requested poem

I had so many people ask for this reading this weekend, I'm just leaving it here temporarily so they can get a copy of it.  I wrote this a long time ago... Back when Darlene and I were engaged... took me about 15 minutes to write and it is always the thing people ask me for the most. 

There once was a church upon a hill
where everything was fine until
the paint inside was getting old
and peeling in some spots, I’m told.
The pastor called a business meeting.
And after the preliminary greeting,
The deacons cried, “Come one! Come all!
What color should we paint each wall?”
They gathered in the sanctuary,
each determined and contrary.
Sister Gail said, “What do you think
about a very chartreuse pink?”
Brother Dave said to the crowd,
“Isn’t that a bit too loud?
I prefer a subtle blue.
It makes the walls look clean and new.”
Six women rebuked, “We wanted gold!”
It seems much warmer. Blue’s too cold!”
A man in the back began to bellow,
“Yellow! Yellow! Yellow! Yellow!
The pastor said, “I’m here more than all of you.
I agree with Dave. The walls should be blue.”
From that point on their voices grew stronger.
Each emotional plea became longer and longer.
Then a voice of strong and stern love
silenced the church as it spoke from above.
“You wonder why you can’t hear My call
when your greatest struggle is paint on the wall.
Paint your church the pale color of skin,
for you let no other races come in.
Paint your church a wealthy green,
for you ignore starvation that you’ve seen.
Paint it white and clean as uncalloused feet,
for you refuse to share My joy in the street.
I agree that your walls could be painted in blue,
for your hearts so cold are given to few.
You give many renditions of church as a game,
but you fail to give water in My Holy Name.
You pray using eloquent thees and thous,
and yet you forget about the heres and nows.
You struggle to be an earthly saint,
but My love must not be covered in paint.
 

Comments

[Bob Tillotson]

Thank you so much for all you did this past weekend at Ridgecrest! I love the poem that opened up our worship session on Friday evening. I'll share it with my SS class. We're down off the mountain--but we've brought a little bit of the mountain along with us... and want to do all we can for our Lord. I'm adding your site to my "favorites". I used some of your readings before in class--I also lay-preach at two Assisted Living Homes in Camden, SC (twice a month) and I believe my wife and I used a worship reading--or something concerning 911 a couple of years ago... anyhow--thanks so much for your imput--and your love for our Lord! God's blessings. Bob Tillotson

[Bob Tillotson]

Thank you so much for all you did this past weekend at Ridgecrest! I love the poem that opened up our worship session on Friday evening. I'll share it with my SS class. We're down off the mountain--but we've brought a little bit of the mountain along with us... and want to do all we can for our Lord. I'm adding your site to my "favorites". I used some of your readings before in class--I also lay-preach at two Assisted Living Homes in Camden, SC (twice a month) and I believe my wife and I used a worship reading--or something concerning 911 a couple of years ago... anyhow--thanks so much for your imput--and your love for our Lord! God's blessings. Bob Tillotson

[Sarah L. Howell]

Beautiful Matt. As always! Here's quote I thought you'd like.

"The church doesn't exist for itself; it exists to serve the world. It is not ultimately about the church; it's about all the people God wants to bless through the church." - Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis