These Are My JOTtings, Part #2

Joyful Broadway

Self demands its pleasures best.
Actors lauded by the crowd.
Stagehands bear the weight of tests.
Stars are praised, and often proud.

Nothing weighs on joyful minds.
Wine of bliss with the fullest meals.
Jewels bought at merchant finds,
enamored with the latest reels.

Churches preaching ease of thought.
Nothing hard to "rock the boat."
What they love is what they're taught,
nothing deep, and ever remote.

All are welcome on this stage.
Earthly days, cigars alight.
Curtains close to lasting rage,
fallen joy to a lasting Night.

Awful burns the pain of sin,
nevermore to use the eyes.
Someone paid the Price to win,
the greatest joy with no more cries.

The greatest lives of happiness
can lead to the Night of lasting grief.
When Self is all we ever bless,
Hell's destruction is the thief.

The broad way's filled with pleasures now.
It has no thought of consequence.
It wants just, that all praise and bow.
Yet, looming is the ominous.

One hundred years, some more, most less
is all we have of life to live.
The selfless life will others bless.
The selfish life demands we give.

Stage and leadership we choose
in the church or in the world.
The Self we show is often a ruse.
The Truth by God will be unfurled.

Broadway's stages are the best.
Actors there are "hypocrites."
In characters we all divest
essential Self for happy glitz.

Devote we lives to simply chaff,
while pleasures chase to feed the flesh?
Will everlasting souls still laugh,
while motives He doth always thresh?

The broad way's filled with pleasures, now.
No doctrine has a place in the heart,
but when most are forced to kneel and bow,
their hope is caused to finally depart.
(Philippians 2:5-11, KJV)

by Jay O’Toole
on February 13th, 2024