Why the Hell Don’t You be Jesus?

 
Why the Hell Don’t You be Jesus?

(“But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:17a)

Jesus is all you need!

They say,
and send you away with another
crunchy cliché.

Jesus is all I need!

They boast,
and hide themselves away before their
brittle bullshit

Reveals their balloon busting pride.

Then the days yawn slowly when no one
made the trip to share hugs, nor dollars, nor
humanity, nor proffers of their
body warmth near mine.

May it not be counted against them.

Jesus stands, if we will see, beside the living spring
that transforms the desert as the sycamores bloom.
Jesus hands the sweet figs into our ailing ego,
fully conscious that we may misinterpret the kindness
and claim an exclusive breakfast meeting with the
glorified son of god.

Too many heads are patted by self-serving
spiritualists who quote more than chapter and verse,
but tell you a tale that was told them about a missionary
in Africa
(it is usually Africa)
who actually saw Jesus’ face in the mane of a lion.

I would not argue with the missionary, if I met her,
but I tire of hearsay mysticism. I cry at the descriptions
only read in books, the ones meant to hook you into
their way of thinking.

Here’s a hint; no, I will say it boldly. Why the hell
don’t you be Jesus
showing up at the time the shaking body you see
truly needs it.

And yet, though some consign the slit-eyed
soul to some outer hallway of unknowing,

The Lord does stand.
She does offer her hand.
He does smooth back your hair
matted with tears and sweat
and leaves you speechless about such encounters
for ever
and ever after.