Bumper Stickers

Life is full of "bumper stickers"
Sayings that are meaningful or keen.
But do you have them just to go along?
Do you say good things that you don't mean?

I saw one on a car today,
It said, "Jesus loves you, I do, too"
But the driver shook his fist and cursed
At some guy who wouldn't let him through.

I saw one that told me to "Be Happy"
Alongside a yellow smiley face
But the driver looked laden with a world of sorrow
As down the road he raced.

"Support Our Troops" ribbons honor our soldiers
And the seeds of liberty they've planted.
But how often do we belittle their sacrifice
By taking it all for granted?

On Facebook everyone joins this cause:
"To Write Love on Her Arms" is their creed.
But how many of them have dropped everything
To help a girl in need?

A TV preacher said, "Love your neighbor"
I wonder when was the last time
That preacher saw a man in need
And even thought to give a dime.

I saw a singer at a show
He sang, "Praise Jesus! Bless His holy name!"
But everything he did onstage
He did for his own fame.

So take the "bumper stickers" off your life
Let's see who you really are.
I'd rather see you live it out
Than stick it on your car.

Wardrobe

Sometimes I think

About all of life’s cares:

Cruel famines, and plagues,

The air raid siren blares.

All of life’s problems,

The great and the small,

Some are just mine

And others affect all.

They all come down on my shoulders

And I long for a place

Where problems take bodily form.

Let me fight or give chase!

Let me enter a wardrobe

Where inside I will find

A land where problems become monsters,

Materialize from my mind,

Gather in ranks,

Polish their swords,

Give heed to their Witches,

And call their Dark Lords.

I’ll walk through that door

Out into the snow:

And I’ll fight those monsters

Just ‘cause I want to show

That I’ll fight to the death;

There will sound no retreat

From my army’s trumpets.

Though I may be beat,

They can’t break my spirit,

Can’t put fear in my eye.

They’ll have to kill me first.

Do you want to know why?

The Lion is coming!

What they don’t understand is

They’re fighting a lost battle.

Victory’s already His!

They may gather against me

In their hordes and great throngs.

If I die in the battle,

They’ll at least know my heart longs

For the time when He arrives

With His mane in the breeze.

All evil things tremble,

And the enemy flees.

All worry will be gone,

Sorrow will be no more,

There’s no reason for stress

When you hear His roar.

But there is no such wardrobe,

There is no such place

Where I can fight my enemies:

Stare them down face to face.

So I’ll face my reality:

Come back through the door.

I’ll step out of the wardrobe.

The beasts are just problems once more.

And although there’s no Lion,

Jesus is always right there.

There’s no reason to doubt,

Fret, worry, or care.

So bring on the problems!

In hordes or one by one!

I’ll fight them for His praise and glory

‘Till He comes, or my life is done.