Love One Another? – A Poem

Sorry, Jesus. You may have loved us enough to die for us, but we feel You’re asking too much of us to simply love each other in our daily lives.

You see, we are a bit too busy. I’d love to help my neighbour in need, but I am far too preoccupied. I can’t even help my friend, so I feel it’s unreasonable to expect me to help my acquaintance.

And we are kind of a bit more ‘out for ourselves’ now, Jesus, you see. We “look after number 1” – who else will, after all?

So we go for what we want. It doesn’t matter if two people love one another; if we fancy one of the two partners we will do our best to get to them. To hell with the feelings of the other person.

If I want to make money, I’ll do it. Sorry, but money is important! It makes the world go round. I can’t afford to sacrifice a single penny in a recession, even if it means hurting other people in the process. They won’t help me, you see. But money will!

And if my friend irritates me sufficiently, I feel I have the right to at least smack him in the mouth. In fact, if he really gets to me, I have the right to beat him up – and set my ‘mates’ on him. He deserves it, after all.

And if my ‘gang’ gets ‘dissed’ by this other gang – we have the right to make sure we stab that gang’s leader or another member to death. They deserve it, after all. Sorry, but it doesn’t matter that that person will have parents and siblings and relatives and friends who love him. He wound us up, and that’s all that matters.

And what about all those people suffering who need rest? Well I would like to give them peace, but if I’m angry, I have the right to shout. Even if it does disturb the terminally ill patient’s rest. Sorry, but you seem to have forgotten – I look after number 1.

Charity? Well, I can’t afford to donate a thing. It’s a recession, as I’ve already said. Yes, I know that people don’t stop dying in a recession. I know that those in the 2/3 world who suffer severe poverty are the worst hit at times like this – but hello? Remember? I need to make sure I’m all right here!

So the bottom line is, Lord, I know you want us to love one another – but this is not realistic in today’s society. We are too busy with other things to take 5 minutes to help a friend or neighbour out. The fact is that sometimes, also, we just can’t be bothered! Is it such a crime if I can’t be bothered to pop round and visit the old lonely housebound lady? And we know what’s important – looking after number one. We have unwritten permission to do whatever it takes to make sure we’re all right.

As for everyone else? Well, they just don’t matter, I’m afraid.