Kingdoms come, kingdoms go,
Ebbing and flowing in human control;
Tiny or mighty, warring or pure,
Can we ever be sure of intentions?
"Spreading" or "building", dominating by might,
Painting portraits of hostile takeovers;
Using only the black of our hearts,
We fill in the color-by-number.
Focused only on outward actions and appearances,
Using words to bludgeon into conformity;
Omitting "freedom" and "choice" from the grace that is preached;
Leaving no room for faith at God's pace.
We build kingdoms by our self-exaltation,
Leaving strewn bodies and our humility in our wake.
We offend, we castrate, we amputate;
Leaving no room for questions, no safety.
We compare instead of communicate;
We serve only to elevate ourselves,
(Even if it's in our own minds.)
Our personal ascent leaves no room for Love.
The Cross that we carry,
The Cross that we claim,
Isn't to be used on each other.
In one breath, through the grace we don't understand,
Our perspective is changed forever.
A new kingdom is ushered in...
By death.
Shaken and broken at our error,
Suddenly aware of our nakedness;
So far from holy, a chasm
That can only be bridged by a savior.
The cross that we wielded as a weapon
Turns and impales us into a new dimension,
Where our eyes being opened
Has silenced the noise from our selfish lips.
Love sticks His foot in the door of our preconceived notions,
Compassion pours from our wounds;
And even if it's just a few convicting moments,
We can experience the Truth of the Kingdom Unseen.
