To Show
Hebrew has no word “to show”
But just a word “to see”
For I can't show you anything
If you don't look at me.It's said that Abraham looked up
When Angels screamed at him,
Then saw what Isaac knew as while
He lay with both arms pinned.Not just that ram caught in the bush
Huge, thrashing in the thorns,
But something in the Angel tears
Which now son’s eyes adorned.For Abe, expansive, unrestrained,
In generosity,
His boy he could not comprehend –
Restrained, controlled was he.But in that flash of insight clear
He saw what he had missed –
God balances His flood of love
With boundaries to his kiss.For all along his son knew well
The value of restraint –
That limits to our love and help
Speeds healing to the faint.There on that altar in the sun
Those Angel tears poured out;
His son resisted thrashing back,
Did not, like ram, cry out.But rather, waiting, hoping there –
Perhaps his dad would see –
While silently he prayed for sight –
The need for family tree.For heirs, like stars, or sand on beach,
Survival in the flesh
Is not sufficient for the world –
To bless it from its mess.For what we need is God's own way,
From words to Torah made,
That life we live if long or short
Has quality inlaid.Too much abandon in our life
Like too much of constraint,
Misplaced, or inappropriate,
Just covers rot with paint.Our seeing comes from deep within
Once eyes are opened wide;
Till then we slay our treasured sons
Miss thrashing rams beside.What does it take for us to see
Another’s view of life,
Then factor in such opposites
And drop our slaying knife?His son might easily have died
That cloudless dreadful day,
Had not his father woken up
And seized the ram to slay.So why did Isaac not return
With Abe to others meet?
Perhaps released by fathers sight
Melkezadek to greet.So often we cannot accept
The other’s half of life,
Till we are heard for what we hold
(Restraint to balance knife).But once the other sees our point
We need not press it more,
Thus in relaxing move ourselves
Their viewpoint to adore.Abe studied with Melkezadek
At early stage of years,
But Isaac would have none of that
Till knife, and sight, and tears.With father now constrained in love
Son Isaac could grow up
To be what God designed him for,
Excess constraint enough.Tears flooded down my face today
As she the question posed –
“What tears be shed by you so that
You can go down some road?”For I, like Abraham said, “Yes
I'm here Lord, for your use.”
I knew the task you gave was tough
It was – profound abuse.I learned and you my sight awoke
(That gift of TCK),
But like his son upon those stones
As sacrifice I lay.You'd think with all the clues you gave
In Angel tears, they'd see
The travesty of just-us acts
As tears rained down on me.But no, so caught up in their right
They pressed on to the end;
But now I understand my role –
“Constraint ”, that they might mend.Lord, now I pray that they might see,
Like Isaac prayed that day;
As Cree, my way is not “to show”,
Their sight’s the only way.You too stayed silent on the cross
As Angel tears rained down;
And prayed they'd see their missing piece
That life in them be found.For neither of us came that time,
It happens oft that way;
But resurrected life for all,
Gives all a second day.Great freedom comes to those who see
The limits of their foe
Then in obedience we walk,
Give room that they might know.A rabbi once stood up to foe
And took thereby grim times –
“There’s more to life than what is here
Your victory short – not mine”.Thy UCC is rampant with
Its unrestricted love;
Until they see constraint in place
They'll do their push and shove.But now I see their sight is not
A great concern of mine;
I did my part to give you room
That they might see just fine.navigation