by Kelly Pelton (written 13 Aug 2021)

What's biblical is not always godly:
Ezra sending away foreign wives, kids,
King David practicing polygamy.
Be aware of the interpretive grids

that affirm all actions of the faithful,
some who slaughtered an entire people group.
Those who live by faith are the biblical
examples of evolving to recoup

that Garden of Eden lovely vision,
shedding ungodly religious action,
learning from Jesus our winsome mission,
not pursuing vengeful satisfaction.

The worldly practice of patriarchy
is ungodly, though found throughout God's book;
it dies a slow death with Christ on the tree
if only we take a close enough look

at Jesus lifting the marginalized,
turning man-made hierarchy on its head,
showing dependency, with weakness prized,
reconciling us, the reason He bled.