The Weapons Of Our Warfare

Those things we learn in early life
Move on with us, unless the knife
Cuts ties so we walk forward, free
To live our lives authentically.

I somehow picked up silly thoughts,
That food and things which parents bought
Were there for all, but grudgingly,
(I fell outside their plan, you see).

 Meanwhile the others picked up fluff
Along the theme of "not enough" –
Of love, attention, clan support,
Of credit, praise, or good report.

It's all just rubbish, now I see,
Regardless how it came to be;
But side-effects quite potent are,
With impacts felt to future far.

But what about if things we learn,
Of shortages and whom to spurn,
Cross lines of culture, don't add up –
"For Echoland there's not enough"?

Perhaps not meant in quite that way,
But heard as such from day to day;
Then it's the culture part of selves
We feel's condemned – confined to shell.

Or what if gifts, or gender type,
Appearance, race, or clothes not right,
Or minds, emotions, faith, or stand,
Or wealth, or status, class, or clan –

Or skills, connections, way of life;
The way we see, or act, or fight;
Come under pressure to the norm,
Says "Be like us", "To us conform"?

That's when things get quite complex, see?
For who I am's not just the ‘me’
That walks around and bears my name –
I'm all those things from whence I came.

So where's the knife? That weapon bright
Which cuts the tie which holds us tight?
Which breaks the stronghold – sets us free
Through miracles of Jubilee?

Me? I don't know – let's check the net
And see if someone knows it – yet
I don't know if this knowledge is
A piece of sub-group working biz.

Well, I'll be darned – it's all right there:
A Bible way of showing care;
For setting churchly people free
To live their lives authentically.

In idiom with Bible base,
Through metaphor of former case,
They draw the principles of life
From days of conquest, struggle, strife.

"For it's all there, mankind has been
Along these roads of failure, sin;
Emerged from the depths of tragedy,
And seen the dawn of victory –

For self and others, family
In spheres of our community;
As town, or province, nation, state,
We've risen up fresh start to make."

I think I'll pause and ponder these,
Kick back – feel God's refreshing breeze –
Pay-dirt for stuck encourager
That I might better givers serve.

This is not academic fluff,
Just inner self-releasing stuff –
This speaks to me of Jubilee
In economics globally.

The road I'm on will others tread,
Before the time when I am dead;
I prototype this road for me,
So other folks their way can see.

For things we learn in early life,
Move on without us, unless a knife
Cuts ties so we walk forward free
To live our lives authentically.

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