Portrait

I have a friend from when I was in Uni, I don't see him much now, who tries to hide his sinfulness from those who are closest to him. He thinks that the best way to be a Christian is to try to hide all his faults from his friends and pretend he has it made. The problem was it's impossible not to have faults, it's impossible to keep them from your closest friends and the best way of dealing with your own sinfulness is to share it with other people. Particularly your close friends or your partner.. Because you will soon realise we all have these cracks aswell. My friends method didn't work and he fell into deeper and deeper sin..

I wrote a poem for him..

Portrait

Your father handed me your portrait today
He had painted sweat pouring like drops of blood from your forehead
And it fell upon your face
Which melted until it became my own

So I handed it to you
And as it had been initialled by your father
You claimed it

But the portrait continued melting until there was nothing
Nothing but your father's hand
Then it was a picture of God
So I handed it back to Him

This theme is explored in a book I read called "Samson and the Pirate Monks" by Nate Larkin.. Check it out.. Only if you're a bloke though..