A More Deadly Disease

I remembered this poem I wrote in my journal earlier this year and thought I'd post it. I wrote it in response the Jesus' words that are found in Matthew 9:13 in the Bible. I thought of it again today because I was meditating on an account of the same story in Mark 2:17.

A More Deadly Disease
Have you no time for me?
Not that I need you
I know all I need to do
to keep me safe from disease

Have you no time for me?
Not that I need you
But I'm offended by the time
You give the least of these

Have you no time for me?
Not that I need you
Still I wonder if a more
deadly disease has entered me

Would you like to be well?

I've been thinking about these words that Jesus once asked a man who could not walk (John 5:6). It seemed the man had become accustomed to believing he would never be able to get to the cure for his ailment. All he could offer Jesus was excuses.
Maybe I think of this phrase often when I encounter people who seem to want to remain in their victimization. They look at their circumstances and believe there is no hope for anything better. They live with certain edge that is sure everyone is out to get them. I understand the feeling. Honestly, I live like that sometimes also. Jesus' response is, "would you like to be well?"
The faith community my wife and I are hoping to see started has as one of it's core convictions "Reconciled people live bigger lives." As we work at redeveloping the vision, I want to make sure we hold onto that one. I believe it's something we need to endorse and seek to live out as best we can.
Reconciliation begins with ourselves. We need to come to a place of personal wholeness. If we always live in our insecurities, it's hard for us to ever come to a place where we can live in reconciliation with others. This doesn't mean we should not seek reconciliation with others until we're perfect. Still, when their is a bump in the road we should look at ourselves first before looking at others.