Of Fellow-tree

 

Love sometimes may seem harsh at first, but true love 

does not leave truth or untruth untouched

 just as a doctor would not

leave the patient unwounded to spare them initial pain

thus not ridding them of the deadly growth within... 

or just as an arborist knows

 a healthy tree requires pruning

Because this tree has not been faithfully pruned

and cared for its fruit is misshapen and blight-pocked

(I have never been very educated in apple tree care) 

How diligently love's students should study God's Word,

(love's instruction book) because its author IS Love

Otherwise unawares we may be blind to the truth 

about love

and grace

 and truth...

Luke 6:39

And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind?

 Will they not both fall into the ditch?

1 Sam.15:22

To obey is better than sacrifice,

and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

True love does not praise and condone displays of disobedience

Nor does it cast a verbal stone, but prays that the sinner repents

For none are righteous, without He who saves us, not by works, but grace

Then, with kindest humility, may love mirror our Saviour’s face

Pity the one who, yet deceived, believes sin’s wage is life, not death

Where lust’s desire has conceived, and birthed sin, pray with earnest breath

That honest love is brave enough to cut with tenderness and care

Rather than fear they think love gruff, thus leaving deadly cancer there

Love is patient and kind but never winks at gates where vice creeps in

Lest by such lie it aids to blind and bind the sinner to the sin

But love, with careful conscience prays for grace and truth’s duality

To wake the one who disobeys; by the fruit God will know the tree

Love cares about a fellow-tree not bent with harvest sound and good  

And braves the possibility of love being misunderstood

By asking God to fill the cup we lift with kind humility

So love would open up  the eyes, still rebel-blind, to look and see

© Janet Martin