Many Masters

7,6

Wisdom is often lacking, We do find in our ownselves; Though knowledge is still stacking From the books on our shelves. And a breach in our wisdom We so often have found; May I now show in my poem Some thoughts that do seem sound.

Though men often have grown great, And with wisdom they're blest, And very high they may rate With what is claimed the best; Meekness is the best virtue, All readily admit, Still pride is hard to eschew And that fault to omit.

So, with talents to excel Many others around, Sin's old Pride may our mind swell, And our heart thus surround; Heedless of our diseases, And careless to not err, --Still God gives what He pleases, To all those in His fear.

For no person can master The Great Wisdom of God, Though "experts" may run faster, While dear others may plod; And that which is so highly Esteemed in peoples sight, We so often find, wryly, Is too,mixed with pride's bite.

Of lord and masters there's none, Our Lord has thus spoken; Jesus Christ,Our Lord is one, To Him, we'll then hearken; In need, still we are brethren Who wait for daily food, And know that we're all barren, When our cases' clearly viewed.

Calvin, Luther, and Wickcliff, As great men did appear; Exposed errors of Pontiffs, And few held with their peer; Still no uniformity, In these, it was not found; All showed some deformity, On some points not so sound.

If God, in His great mercy, With His goodness divine, Could overlook their fancy And wanderings of mind; While less may make improvement, By grace which is given, Through the Spirit's own movement, --All He must enliven.

Even though an Apostle, And holy, he was called; Learns too, he must be docile, When with Truth he's appalled; And bow to the blest Spirit, In one called old Saint Paul, For the Spirit may audit Even Simon or Saul.

But the Lord has not given In His gifts from above, Understanding so even, To all they in His Love; His gifts are then here varied, To divide to the poor; That our pride may be buried From all those at His door.

What then, our impertinence, When thus we may forget This long standing ordinance, -The release of our debt; Then in conscience stand ready, Child, be not too severe On those who're not so steady, But still bring up the rear.

Is there anyone living That can truthful declare, "I don't need your forgiving" With delusion's mad glare; When conscience thus convicts us, (Unless it has been seared - -With these we shall not discuss), Through hardness they have veered.

The Dear Lord then has taught us By Apostles of old; And still it's good to discuss With the sheep of His fold; That when we slip and condemn With rigour, our brother, We, ourselves, must a flood stem, While judging another.

Our Kind Lord has admonished To consider oneself, Lest we may be astonished At the sin in "old self" To condemn our weak brother With a judgement severe, We have no authority For we must all appear-

Before the Great, Sovereign Judge, See our own sins many; For we have more than a smudge, So we can't judge any; All still need that same mercy Jesus freely doth give, Far above all controversy Supreme, it does live.

We all daily offend In our actions and deeds, And the weight of our offences Show us our own needs; For a temper of mercy As in Jesus was found To end the controversy, He stooped to the ground;

For a sinner, exceeding, Who broke through the Law, When it's threats seemed succeeding, God's judgments to draw; But Lo! how amazing, That Grace which appears To other sinners who're gazing Who too, have their fears;

Their Savior's appearing On earth's sinful ground For those who are fearing, And have searched all around; For a righteousness perfect, Not their keeping the Law, Which renders it's verdict On man's every flaw;

Again, how amazing! This Grace, who can tell; With wonder, we're gazing To the place where we fell; View Jesus, there hanging Where sin did abound; Are heart's are now singing For the mercy we've found.

*Copyright, 1998

O. Allen Bailey

*This material may be freely distributed, but shall not be altered or sold.