I stopped in unexpectedly to visit her that day.
She had been ill, and needed help, but strength was on the way.
To me her house looked clean and neat, without a speck of dirt,
Things in place in every room, she well had done her work.
"I need to sweep today," she said, "My house needs cleaning up.
I haven't swept this week at all. My kitchen I must mop."We passed her garden on the way to fetch her children in.
"Don't even look," she said to me, "The weeds I cannot win."
But I did look, and saw how nice it was and free from weeds,
It seemed as though she kept it hoed and gave no chance to seeds.
"My lawn needs mowing," then she said, "The grass is growing fast,
With all this rain we're havin, a mowing just won't last."
I thought it too, looked very nice. The grass was not so long.
I could not understand why she thought anything was wrong.
Dear friend, how does this look to God? Apologizing thus
For things when they are not so bad; why do we make a fuss?
About the things that are a bit messed up or out of place,
As smudgy windows on the door made by a toddler's face.
Is it not pride? Now don't you think? when someone comes to us,
And we begin to right away, make such untimely fuss?
Our God does not want us to be slothful or unkept,
But He, too, understands how soon the dirt comes once we've swept.
'Tis no disgrace when we are busy with growing children, too,
To have one come into our house, and find at times a stew.
'Tis better far to take some time to guide our children right
Than to have everything in place, and all the dirt from sight.
So when you think, "Oh, no! Not now! When one knocks on your door,
Never mind, don't say a word, about things on the floor.
For pride would have you 'polgize. Humility would not.
So may you an example be and lack this virtue not.
Sel. from Harvest Call
No comments:
Post a Comment