Poetry

Afraid of Christmas?

Should we be afraid of Christmas?
Or should Christmas be afraid of us?
So many are afraid of lawsuits and such,
yet it’s hard to reconcile the fuss.
Don’t say Merry Christmas when you talk to customers in your store.
Don’t put the Nativity here.
Is that a bible verse on government stationary?
I don’t think you can pray there.

But the most diabolical attack Christmas ever suffered
began when we made it about gifts.
When we created a decadent cocktail of love and money and celebration,
that’s when the whole thing went over a cliff.
But the commercialization of Christmas is a sad story we know all too well.
The broader scope of the attack on Christians is another story to tell.
Christ and Christ followers will survive Madison Avenue,
and government prohibitions too.
Relegating reverence of Jesus Christ to a particular place or season
isn’t enough anyway, I think. What about you?

© Joel Tipple
368

Childlike Haiku

Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 18:3 NIV

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
Matthew 10:16

Worldly speech falls short
Faith finds truth
Children speak honestly

© Joel Tipple
367

Freedom

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It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1 NIV

A perversion of freedom that isn’t freedom at all has clearly been sold to mankind.

But we don’t really need help to find our way to bondage

for the seeds of destruction are in our minds.

Almost anything that starts out worthy, can be twisted or taken to excess.

Too late, we find ourselves in currents fast and deep,

thrashing about to swim out of the mess.

It can be hard to wrap your mind around,

that giving yourself away makes you free.

But it’s just what God promises when you reconcile with Him,

the scales fall from your eyes and you see.

© Joel Tipple
366

Fellow Ships

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV

We fellow ships,
not neglecting to meet,
corporate,
we band together.
We seek God and focus our minds and hearts
on a Christ centered plain.

We fellow ships,
we build up one another,
passionate,
we know our meeting is not in vain.

We fellow ships,
should one stumble,
or shoulder a burden that threatens to overcome,
we will lift up each other in prayer.
We know by the Word and experience
that those words don’t disappear in air.

We fellow ships.
We fellow ships,
in God’s harbor.

© Joel Tipple
365

Cast Your Burden on the Lord

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Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. Psalm 55:22 NASB

In this life we juggle many things,
among those are our cares.
You may not know it, but God juggles too,
and He’s infinitely better than you are.
Picture God’s huge, muscular arms,
built to juggle your heaviest needs.
He’s got your back, and everything else, too.
There’s no issue He hasn’t seen.
Those who have learned their juggling lessons well
know God’s the one who lets nothing fall.
The only way to ensure everything we throw wins the war against gravity
is to give it all.

© Joel Tipple
364

Season of Birth

I hear some people are concerned about when Jesus was born.
Some scholars say it was fall, but it could’ve been spring.
Well it’s for certain He was born and it’s for certain that He died.
But it’s for sure He rose again, and that’s the main thing.

© Joel Tipple
363

when you get home

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when you get home
when you get home son don’t you tarry don’t you tarry
young men like you should marry when you get home

when you get home
I’ll be waiting in my chair
with the candle burning there when you get home

when you get home
the fences need some mending and the cattle need some tending
when you get home

when you get home
your mom she sighs so there with her knitting in her chair
when you get home

when you get home
the politicians oh the fools keeping young men out of schools
for old men in their suits
when you get home

when you get home
when you get home son don’t you tarry don’t you tarry
young men like you should marry when you get home
when you get home
when you get home

© Joel Tipple
362

Fighters

There are those who beat the air with their fists,
expressing impotent rage,
those who continually fight the past
unwilling to turn the page.

Some fight poverty.
Some fight from prison.
Some fight without
a single friend in the stands,
still focused on their vision.

Some fight their waist.
Some fight to lay waste.
Some fight waste.

Some fight to be heard
Some fight the herd
Some fight to fight
then later demur.

Some fight their image.
Some fight their reflection.
Some fight the man in the mirror,
always risking rejection.

Some fight for God.
Taking pains to be broken.
Some fight apathy
and for those whose words are unheard or unspoken.

There will always be a fight
for those who don’t want to live asleep,
those who believe in the words of Jesus
and promises to keep.

© Joel Tipple
361

Young Music

If you love them,
give them the gift of music.
It makes every other class they take worth more.
And if you’re interested in success for their future,
you’ll find it helps open so many doors.
Who can take part?
Anyone with a heartbeat.
Humans were born to communicate
using rhythm and sound.
It’s a universal language
that proves we can all find common ground.
Don’t be short sighted and cancel music,
thinking you can’t afford to pay.
You simply can’t afford the silence,
and you’ll be contributing to society’s decay.

© Joel Tipple
360

Don’t Make it Silent

All the earth stood still
that night he arrived
for the Savior of the world
with His family in flight.
But I imagine he cried,
so not for long
was it a silent night.

Children all around the world tonight
are also with their families in flight.
Running from war and famine and fright.
As we celebrate Jesus’ birth,
the light
we’ve received
is responsible sight.
Speak up for the children.
Don’t let them be denied.
With your prayer and hands and feet
and voice
please fight.
Please don’t be
silent tonight.

© Joel Tipple
358