HIS HANDS

His hands
Tools of creation
Stronger than nations
Power without end
And yet through them we find our truest friend.

His hands
Sermons of kindness
Healing men's blindness
Halting years of pain
Children waiting to be held again.

His hands
Lifting a leper
Warming a beggar
Calling back the dead
Breaking bread, five thousand fed.

His hands
Hushing contention
Pointing to heaven
Ever free of sin
Then bidding man to follow him.

His hands
Would serve his whole life through
Showing man what hands might do
Giving, ever giving, endlessly
And I'll not rest until I make up
My hands what they could be
Till these hands become like those from Galilee.


- Kenneth Cope

OF GIVING AND GETTING

"My hopes rose high and me thought my evil days were at an end, and I stood waiting for alms to be given unasked and for wealth scattered on all sides in the dust.

The chariot stopped where I stood. Thy glance fell on me and thou camest down with a smile. I felt that the luck of my life had come at last. Then, of  a sudden, thou didst hold out thy right hand and say, "What hast thou to give to me?"

Ah, what a kingly jest was it to open thy palm to a beggar to beg! I was confused and stood undecided, and then from my wallet I slowly took out the least little grain of corn and gave it to thee.

But how great my surprise when at the day's end I emptied my bag on the floor to find a least little grain of gold among the poor heap! I bitterly wept and wished that I had had the heart to give thee my all."

- Rabindranath Tagore, "Song Offerings"