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Sunday, January 12, 2020
Friday, January 3, 2020
Who Will Protect You, Jesus?
The last time I saw Jesus he was in Dallas, Texas. He was
sitting in the shade of a tree on the grassy knoll in Dealey Plaza. He was
attempting to enjoy a quiet lunch break, but this guy I know from work, JD, was
pestering him with questions.
“So, Jesus, tell me. You’re a smart guy. Tell me – if we defund the military, who would protect you?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Jesus asked, subtly exposing the scars on his wrists. I don’t think JD noticed.
“No. I’m not kidding; I’m serious. If we defund the military, who would protect you and all your freedoms?”
“Listen, I’m just trying to have some lunch here…”
JD grinned. “So you can’t answer my question, can you?”
Jesus sighed and set down his bagel and cream cheese. “See the grass and trees and flowers here,” he said as he motioned with his hands at the nearby flora. “Where are their guns? Where are their tanks and missiles, and battleships? Where are their warships?” JD sputtered, but Jesus continued. “And still your heavenly father protects and provides for them. Why are you so anxious about your freedoms?”
JD waited for Jesus to say more, but there was nothing more. Jesus picked up his bagel and took another bite. Seeing that Jesus wasn’t going to say any more, JD said, “So you don’t have an answer to my question…”
Now, this whole time JD was fingering something in his front pants pocket. I thought it was just a bit obscene, but I didn’t want to say anything or to interrupt their conversation. Jesus, however, appeared unperturbed. He’d almost, but not quite, finished the bite of bagel in his mouth when he spoke again. “What’s that you’re worrying in your pocket?” It was then that JD removed the object and exposed it to us. It was a dark, coin shaped token. “May I see it?” Jesus asked.
JD flicked it to him and Jesus caught it mid-air. He examined the obverse and then the reverse. Then he held it up for us to see. The token had been engraved with the mortar, snake, sword, musket, and Phyrgian cap of the U.S. War office’s seal. But JD had nearly worn the engraving away with his constant attention to it.
“So, Jesus, tell me. You’re a smart guy. Tell me – if we defund the military, who would protect you?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Jesus asked, subtly exposing the scars on his wrists. I don’t think JD noticed.
“No. I’m not kidding; I’m serious. If we defund the military, who would protect you and all your freedoms?”
“Listen, I’m just trying to have some lunch here…”
JD grinned. “So you can’t answer my question, can you?”
Jesus sighed and set down his bagel and cream cheese. “See the grass and trees and flowers here,” he said as he motioned with his hands at the nearby flora. “Where are their guns? Where are their tanks and missiles, and battleships? Where are their warships?” JD sputtered, but Jesus continued. “And still your heavenly father protects and provides for them. Why are you so anxious about your freedoms?”
JD waited for Jesus to say more, but there was nothing more. Jesus picked up his bagel and took another bite. Seeing that Jesus wasn’t going to say any more, JD said, “So you don’t have an answer to my question…”
Now, this whole time JD was fingering something in his front pants pocket. I thought it was just a bit obscene, but I didn’t want to say anything or to interrupt their conversation. Jesus, however, appeared unperturbed. He’d almost, but not quite, finished the bite of bagel in his mouth when he spoke again. “What’s that you’re worrying in your pocket?” It was then that JD removed the object and exposed it to us. It was a dark, coin shaped token. “May I see it?” Jesus asked.
JD flicked it to him and Jesus caught it mid-air. He examined the obverse and then the reverse. Then he held it up for us to see. The token had been engraved with the mortar, snake, sword, musket, and Phyrgian cap of the U.S. War office’s seal. But JD had nearly worn the engraving away with his constant attention to it.
Jesus flicked it back to him. “Thank you for your service,”
JD said as he caught it. “uh… I mean…”
Jesus said, “You can keep it if you want, but that fetish has no power.”
Jesus said, “You can keep it if you want, but that fetish has no power.”