Growing up

Challenging reflections about my image of God...
This poem was written for the book,
SOS (Stumbling Over Scripture): a journey from fundamentalism to faith.

You must've been very wild in your youth
Setting the gang rules
Heading a guerrilla force.

You never stood for slights or insults
Striking down enemies
Sticking up for your buddies.

Don't you get embarrassed when you reflect on the past?
Over reacting
Playing up the violence...

Killing those kids was a bit over the top
When they'd only joked
About Elisha's bald head.

Rubbing out Ananias was going a bit far
When all he'd done wrong
Was to economise with the truth.

All-in-all, you've been a bit rough...
Burying Korah and Dathan...
Incinerating Abihu and Nadab.

Were you really a partisan terrorist?
Or is this a problem
Of biased historians?

Personally, I know you in a different light...
God of mercy and grace
God of humanity and love.

Were you really so wild in your youth?
Or did the reporters
Mis-write the story?

© Derrick Phillips - 1993