Beauty And The Beast

There's different kinds of money growing on a money tree:
There's pay and perks and gifts for all, not just for you and me.
The problem is, it's slippery stuff, (looked all the same to me)
“A buck's a buck's” – not true for us – there's beauty, and the beast.

The beauty side is what we want when cash comes to our mind –
The chance to buy some groceries, give gifts, and be most kind;
Invest for future rainy days, have fun, and walk in peace;
“We're nice, so what's the problem, ey? Ease up – there is no beast”.

Oh yes there is – in many forms – like debt and gambling's curse;
Then greed and envy creep around, pull shekels from our purse;
“Mess with my money, you'll find out another side of me”,
Is sub-text of the folks who live in this society.

“Two kingdoms, far apart they are”, Christ noted on the hill
Their masters rule with iron fists, the ways of both can kill –
Death lurks beneath the rolling surf, like sharks in search of prey;
Death is in store for followers if we choose Jesus’ way.

It's not that Jesus is the one, like Satan in his wiles,
Who pulls the trigger on our lives, for that's not Jesus style;
It's more that doing life with Him as central in our faith
Sets us outside the mainstream of the lemmings in their race.

But death once died, it matters not – we walk around, now free
Once we have died to cash and coin, the lure of shopping spree;
Thus Christ, up front, said, “Once you've died to world and all its ways,
Be buried in baptism's flood, rise, live exciting days”.

For God supplies from place on high the cash for all mankind
It's up to us to spread it ’round, do justice best we can;
But if some folks live out their lives by other ways with cash,
It doesn't stop us living out the Way of life He asks.

There's many choices we can make while living in this world,
Most fun, for me, relates to cash, especially in the swirl
Of life as lived these days, right here, in this society –
For money, just like tofu takes its flavouring from me.

That can be bad – like tainted food, and dirty laundry,
Controlling lives like puppet stage, as we pull strings with glee;
I've seen it also speak from truth far stronger than our words,
In ways complacent, arrogant, and desperate folks have heard.

To be involved in money's game is not for everyone;
And even in that world exist quite different kinds of fun;
For me, “encouragement with cash” is one thing that I do –
With gifts affirm, as need I learn, outside of public view.

If cash is given to you, my friend, be sure to flavour taste;
The message is the meaning, not just wrapping for the waste;
The tofu's nice, helps us to grow, but flavour is the thing
On which to base our cards of thanks, which privately we sing.

But if the flavour’s bitter, friend, do not ingest the food;
Ask God just what the meaning is, what He would have you do.
Go slow enough to hear His word; once heard, react with speed;
Don't ever mix reaction with a fretting sense of need.

In Canada, where cash is king, folks watch your ways and know
The level of maturing faith, far better than your show;
They'll test in ways you'll never see, not knowing what they do –
So get this straight right at the first, then live your point of view.

Remember that it also works as you play out your cash –
Last person touching money puts the flavour which is passed;
So look down deep at what you say, a time or two at least –
And ask, “Is flavour which I send, from beauty or the beast?”

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