BIG BUTS

This poem is 100 percent inspired by the opening preaching of Revival Preacher Rev. Dennis Oglesby, Jr., at Solomon Community Temple UMC last Friday. It was a disconcerting beginning for me, but a great message Friday night.

Panorama map of Milwaukee, with a view of the ...

How Big Is Your “But?”

And the evangelist startled us, and called us to participate.
It was a revival after all!
And so I turned to my sister on the left, and
let loose with, “Is your butt too big?”
And then I turned right, and I asked my wife,
“Is your butt too big?”
And in that moment, I wondered why.
Why are we talking about posteriors with
Women unknown and women known well?
And who is looking at me now?
Everyone.
Ah, then, I see. I see when guided.
When invited as disciples, here come our ‘buts.’
Greed and lust and fear and uncertainty, insecurity,
other directions to go first,
children, parents, classmates, bosses and friends,
and more but’s than we can know.
Now discipline!
The call is to disciplined discipleship.
Is MY ‘but’ too big?
I seek to exercise my but away:
I don’t know how.
Let the but be lean away anyway.
Go ahead; put the light on me.
Show me old and new stumbling blocks.
Let me live, lean, in the kingdom.
I seek nothing to be in my way.

(c) Tom Bolton, 19 April 2013, Milwaukee

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About Tom Bolton

I'm a Husband and Dad, a former Enterprise Systems Manager at the City of Milwaukee, and a Disciple and Lay Servant at First United Methodist of West Allis. As I study the Bible, sometimes I feel moved to work through my understanding by writing poetry. I also am continuing to learn in my dialysis experience and pursuit of a kidney transplant. Sometimes I just feel like writing about something that grabs my attention too.
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