Ezekiel 17: 22-24 (links validated 5/7/24a)

Joyce Kilmer of New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the early part of the 20th Century offered these words: I think I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed against the sweet earth’s flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, and lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with the rain. Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree...

There is a wonderful line in Sinclair Lewis’ novel Elmer Gantry. The book is a long ramble through the life of a blowhard ex-football player turned preacher who is variously successful and self-destructive. Gantry is on an upswing; he is the minister at a big church in a big city and he is on a speaking tour around the state, telling other people how to be as successful as he is. Andrew Pengilly is a gentle and humble minister with a long career in the same little church who volunteers to put the famous preacher up for the night when he comes to town. Gantry sits at the kitchen table, drinking coffee while boasting and bragging about all the things he has done, and plans to do, to bring in the kingdom. Suddenly, Pengilly interrupts, “Mr. Gantry, why don’t you believe in God?”...

("A man was part of a hunting expedition in Africa. His group was camped in a jungle. One morning he left camp early, hiked a few miles into the bush by himself, and shot two wild turkeys. Buckling these to his belt, he was walking back towards camp, when he heard noises and realized he was being followed. Frightened, his hands tight on his rifle, he scanned the woods for movement. His fear was quickly dispelled. What he saw stalking him was a young boy, about twelve years old, naked and hungry...")