“Remove the cuffs!” barked out the chief
As they shoved him in the room.
He looked dirty and disheveled
And anybody would assume
That the man was but a bum…
A menace to society.
He smelled of booze... and sour slurs
Proved insobriety.
“Just another homeless slob,”
The arresting officer explained,
“Sleeping in a doorway and
The resident complained.
A few hours in the slammer’s
Exactly what this loser needs
Decent folks should not have to
Encounter this bum's deeds.”
“Are you quite finished, officer?”
The chief’s eyes were aflame.
“I’ll have you know that I am one
Who bears this fellow’s name.
Yes, he’s my father and he’s no bum
He’s just dealing with his grief
You see, we lost my mother
And he’s trying to find relief.
The man you’ve called a loser
Won the right for you to stand
On this soil still steeped in freedom…
Was pinned by MacArthur’s hand.
So don’t judge him as he appears…
There is more to him than this.
His chest held many medals…
So I suggest that you dismiss
All thoughts of this man behind bars.
Tell me, what good would it do?
If not but for the Grace of God
Could not this very well be you?”
The room grew very silent…
Not another word was spoken.
But the gentleman in the soiled suit
Knew the officer was broken.
In a gesture of compassion
That only God would understand…
The officer reached out to shake
The man who shook MacArthur’s hand.
Doris Jacobs-Covington
February 1, 2014
~~Dedicated to Raven/Lee~~
Matthew 7:1-2
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the
judgment you pronounce you will be judged,
and with the measure you use it will be measured
to you.
Colossians 3:12-13
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy
and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness,
humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with
one another and, if one has a complaint against
another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has
forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction,
so that we may be able to comfort those who are
in any affliction, with the comfort with which
we ourselves are comforted by God.
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy,
brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.