Guestbook
~Suesdream~
Artwork courtesy of and copyright by Daniel B. Holeman, who invites you to visit his
Visionary Art Gallery web site -
"The Saint And The Sinner" courtesy of and copyright by Daniel J Miller
Within the City of Righteousness lived two men; one who was deemed a saint,
while the other was judged a sinner.
The saintly man lived his life by the righteous word of the holy scriptures.
Weekly did visit the House of God to exalt His Glory and to humble himself as he prayed
that all others might find the salvation that he had found.
A man of refinement and wealth was he and generously did he give to the needs of the church that he so loved.
The priests and other good men of influence would oftensit and dine within his home
as the course of his charity was charted for those less fortunate.
Now the sinful man lived not his life as did the saintly one.
Uncultivated and crude was the world belonging to the sinful man.
Often was he to be found in the company of the downtrodden and outcast drinking of their wine
and crying with their painful woes of wanton despair.
Upon a cold winter day, as the saintly man hurried through the city streets on his way to worship,
did he meet a young orphaned boy aimlessly wandering about and the young boy pleaded with the saintly one... "Please sir help me, for I am homeless and hungry with nowhere to turn."
But the saintly man quickly replied, "I have built an orphanage for the likes of you.
Go there now, with my blessing, and they will tend to your every need."
Then he left the boy, for he was late for worship.
As he traveled on, he came upon a young woman forced to sell to lustful men,
the beauty of her charm that she might live to see another day.
And the saintly one was outraged and spoke unto her... "Woman, know you not the wages of sin?
You have sold the salvation of your soul for the glitter of gold!
You must come with me at once unto the House of God and repent your shameful ways!"
But the desperate woman ran away for she was herself ashamed of her lot in Life.
And as the bells of the church called all to worship, the saintly one saw an old man sitting on a bench,
shivering in the cold and the saintly man spoke unto him...
"The bell has tolled and I am late but if you will wait for me here,
I will return and buy for you a warm winter coat."
And straight away did he enter into the House of God to exalt His Glory and to humble himself in prayer.
As the saintly man sat in silent worship, the sinful man wandered also the same city streets;
and when he saw the old man shivering in the cold,
the sinful man remembered the bitter bite of nakedness and without a word
did he give to the man his own coat to wear.
He traveled on until he found the young woman and the tears of her shame touched his heart,
for he remembered a time when he was forced to drink of stagnant waters
that he too might live to see another day.
He spoke to her not of sin but of an innkeeper that needed help in managing his business.
He spoke not of salvation but of room and board and of a work that offered the wage of dignity.
Down the street did the sinful man walk and in the eyes of the young orphaned boy
did he see the lonely hunger of his own lost childhood;
and as he placed his hand upon the boy's shoulder he said...
"Where you are, I have been and I would not have you suffer as I have suffered."
And together they went home as father and son.
The saintly one sent forth an engraved invitation that he might honor this prophet
as a guest in his home and as a teacher within the House of God.
But the prophet regarded not this man's plea and when he did not come,
the saintly one was much aggrieved and set forth to find this prophet for himself.
All the city did he search and finally did he come to find this master teaching within the home of the sinful man.
The saintly one could not believe his eyes and there was anger deep in his voice as he spoke...
"I invite you to come into my home and into the House of God,
yet I find you here in this sinner's den, teaching those who live not by God's Word.
Liar! False prophet!"
But the Prophet of God replied unto the saintly man...
"Within the span of one winter day did I come unto you three times and you regarded me not;
and now that I return as Prophet, you would seek me out with the gifts of honor.
That same winter day did this sinful man come unto me, bearing the holy gifts of Faith, Hope and Love;
and now I come unto him, who is a saint and I shall teach within this House of God."
Copyright Daniel J. Miller 1996
