ANGELS UNAWARES

ANGELS UNAWARES

(from Hebrews 13:2; Romans 2:13; Isaiah 1:17)

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A church I know made plans

To help a woman move…

She came to the church for months,

Did  they think her too uncouth?

–

She asked for some help

And some folks gave their word…

But then withdrew their help from her,

Just why—I haven’t heard.

–

She was unusual,

She brought her dog to church…

She had him in a carrier

On the edge of which he’d sometimes perch.

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She had a son not healthy

With her man nowhere in sight…

She a widow—her son fatherless—

Does that still make it right?

–

There are things like personalities,

I know, I’ve met a few…

But swallowing pride deep down inside,

Isn’t that the thing to do?

–

She sells things for a living

And is living with a woman in town…

Was what she sold make someone bold

To turn her request for help down?

–

My wife and I met her

Coming out of a place this Thursday…

She said the church wasn’t “love” anymore

And that she would stay away.

–

Again, I don’t know the story,

Don’t know that I ‘specially care…

All that I know, we refused an “angel”

Who was standing—right—there!

–

Who sat for months in the church,

Mostly by herself…

Only one or two people took the time

To share her Spiritual wealth.

–

Was it her tallit* that made her unconventional,

Another “crazy” to be ignored…

Or were we being just too insensitive

To hear what she implored?

–

A widow and her fatherless, sick needy son

This church just drove away…

It could have been Jesus that we entertained,

Does anyone want to obey?

—J. Caswell

*NOTE*  “TALLIT” is a Jewish prayer shawl, pronounced “TAL-leet”.