WERE CARPENTERS
WHICH BRINGS TO MIND
A MIDDLE CLASS HOME
WITH A SHOP OUT FRONT
PERHAPS WITH A SIGN
THAT SAYS
JOSEPH AND SON
MAKER OF EASY YOKES
SOME SAY HE WAS NOT
I TEND TO AGREE
NOT OUT OF SOME SCHOLAR DISCOVERY
BUT LIFE EXPERIENCE
I SPENT MOST OF MY WORK LIFE
AS AN AIRCRAFT WORKER
WE SPOKE A JARGON
WHICH A NEW EMPLOYEE
FOUND DIFFICULT
BUT WE SPOKE WHAT WE KNEW
READING THE SCRIPTURES
WE FIND
PARABLE OF THE SOWER………FARMING
PARABLE OF THE TARES AND WHEAT……………FARMING
PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED………FARMING
PARABLE OF THE TENANTS…………….FARMING
PARABLE OF THE YEAST…………..DOMESTIC LIFE
PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN………….DOMESTIC LIFE
PARABLE OF THE TREASURE IN A FIELD……….POOR MAN’S DREAM
PARABLE OF THE PEARL……………….POOR MAN’S DREAM
PARABLE OF THE FISH AND THEIR SORTING……………..FISHING
PARABLE OF LAZARUS THE BEGGAR…………HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW
PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD WORKERS……………..INJUSTICE IN THE WORKPLACE
THESE AND OTHERS SEEM TO SAY FARM BOY
DAY LABORER
HANDYMAN
JACK OF ALL TRADES
THERE WERE MORE OF THEM IN PALESTINE
THAN MIDDLE CLASS
WHEN JOSEPH AND JESUS LIVED
JESUS CAME TO EXPERIENCE
FULL HUMANITY
THEN WHERE ELSE
WOULD HE GO
THAN TO THE VERY BOTTOM
WHERE SUN RARELY PEAKS THROUGH
AND LIFE IS A CONTINUOUS STRUGGLE
WHERE ONE COULD WORK ALL HIS LIFE
AND DIE POOR
WHETHER JESUS WAS A CARPENTER
OR NOT
DOESN’T MATTER
WHAT MATTERS
IS WHEN WE SEE
MIGRANT FARM WORKERS
OR
DAY LABORERS
OUTSIDE OF HOME DEPOT
OR LOWES
THEY TOO WERE SAVED BY CHRIST
CREATED IN GOD’S IMAGE
BLESSED WITH DIGNITY
AND HONOR
YOU SHALL NOT HOLD A DAY LABORER’S WAGES
TILL THE NEXT DAY
YOU SHALL NOT HOLD BACK A MAN’S DIGNITY
TILL A BETTER TIME
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