What Do You Stand By?

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What do you stand by?

Do you stand by a feeling,

one that fills you with elation and self worth?

Do you stand by the sermon of a priest or minister,

who preaches the words you desire to hear?

Do you stand by government,

paying homage to the power it has given itself?

Do you stand by the news anchor 

who supports the view of your political idols?

Do you stand by the words of entertainers,

who insist that your values be like theirs?


Or, is it possible

that you stand by a statement given over two thousand years ago?

A statement spoken on a dark night,

one man to another,

a Pharisee and a teacher.

A statement spoken by creator to created

and written on parchment by the hand of the disciple

He loved.



copyright 2023 - Donald P James Jr



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