A Stubborn Lot

Can a penny buy a morsel of some dried unleavened bread?
Can a nickel have some meaning to apologies unsaid?

Can a dime hide a confession that we want to keep inside?
Can a quarter take the place of the regrets when we have lied?

Can a dollar buy a drop of love from someone we have pained?
Can a ten buy us full freedom, though it's we ourselves we've chained?

Can a hundred cover up our sins so we can't be enslaved?
Can a Million pay for all our sins so that we can then be saved?

Can a Billion buy a sliver from the cross where Jesus died?
Can a Trillion buy a seat in Heav'n so we can't be denied?

ALL the money in the world can't buy one SPECK of space
in Heaven where the God of Love bestows sufficient grace.

It's loving dedication and full faithfulness we owe.
Our money is so worthless - yet we idolize it so.

We are a spoiled people in our air conditioned cars.
We're over-entertained by our most fav'rite superstars.

We are a prideful people and we're such a stubborn lot -
but owe to Jesus EVERYTHING and EVERYTHING we've got.

This poem was a finalist in the August 2022 poetry contest