The Starving Calf, A Poem

The driving motivation in my life has been standing for the weak, the helpless and vulnerable. The following poem is something that I wrote, in processing our now ended 418 series, at Union Center Christian Church about the injustices in our world. It's not pretty. It's my struggle. Maybe its yours too. I am a bit insecure about sharing one of the ways that I process, poetically; but it's a risk that I'm willing to take in order to hopefully encourage you to continue to wrestle with, in your own way, the heavy issues we have been discussing, such as sex trafficking, addiction and slave labor. This is one of those instances where I would be really appreciative of your feedback, either positive or constructive, about processing "out loud" in this way. Let me know how you think through these things. How do you meander through such big issues (i.e. injustices) in order to convert them into something actionable?

I live in luxury at another’s expense
Cheap labor for my comfort
Ribs-exposed starving calf 
In the same pen as a fattened one
All for me, none for you
You’re my brother, my sister 
But I treat you like reject shoes 
Rich man gone mad
Human slave died bad

No matter the taint of epidermis
Every person deserves a chance
A chance
No, not just a chance; people are more than a chance
Dignity
Yes, every person deserves dignity
Getting fair wages for pulling beans off a tree
More than a few dollars for twelve hours of work please
Children set free to play their days away
Dads set free to support their families 
Moms set free to care domestically

Is there anyone who wants to see
God’s justice served deliciously
Upon the table of love and dignity
With sweet wine to wash down the incivility
Of our world’s vast apathy
He requires much of those who have been given much
That’s you and that’s me
Don’t skirt your responsibility 
To fight for the unborn, the starving, the sex-trafficked slave
The unemployed, the mentally-ill and the elderly
It’s time to say hello to compassion
To the awareness of injustices in our world
To the hurting and maimed

Time to say hello to the emotionally famished 
To the love-deprived child
To the depressed, the anxious and the slave

Time to give away from abundance 
Food for the hungry
Hope for the lonely
Money for the poor
Windows for those in the cave of their own minds
Sails to those boats that have been ripped, torn and mangled
Time to offer ourselves as a sacrifice to our brother and sister

It starts today
With a smile, a handshake, a hug
With noticing others with our wallet and hands
With saying “God, I am open to joining you in restoring this broken land”
For it is you, I AM, that gives us courage to take a stand

Help us, Dear Savior, to join you in saving every man, woman and child
Help us, Precious Jesus, our closest friend and ruling King
Help us to help others
Help us to reflect light
In the day and in the night
In joy and in fright
Until the day we stand in your sight


Much Grace,

Josh