As a young man I recall
The Gospel I was told.
“A life with Christ is without trouble.”
A basic element of the bill of goods that I was sold.

Convincing answers met each of my questions,
My doubts and confusion they sliced and diced.
My reservations dissolved into surrender,
Into my life I invited Jesus Christ.

We walked day by day,
Jesus and me, hand in hand.
Contradictions sprang up amidst my convictions,
Contravictions confronted what I was led to understand.

As I read my Bible,
A hunger for His Word fed by His Spirit.
Contraviction crept into my mind,
Subtle, yet I could hear it.

It happened after reading,
The book of Exodus about Moses.
My spirit could still soar with
Headphones blaring Guns n Roses.

They asked “What’s wrong with you?”
“You must avoid the sound of rock n roll’s loud wailin.”
I returned home feeling like an outcast,
Until I cranked up some Van Halen.

Years passed by and I grew older,
The Christian faces changed.
Rock n roll was not my only problem now.
The do’s and don’ts had multiplied and rearranged.

They told me of the women,
Who were victims of brutal rape.
“They have no choice about the pregnancy,
When measured by the truth of our God’s tape.”

They said that I must believe,
The criminals who overpopulate our nation,
Evil, each and every one of them,
My neighbors who came here via illegal immigration.

They claimed that the poverty and homelessness
Was the fault of those imprisoned within these death traps.
All they really require to resolve this mess,
Is to pull themselves up by their own boot straps.

Christianity became boiled down to,
Something that finally swamped my boat:
It’s how I punched the ballot,
When it was time to vote.

Compassionate conservative?
Please! Give me a break!
I’m ashamed to be called a Christian,
Anger, hatred and self-righteousness, My Bible says you’re a fake.

In angst over these contravictions,
I begged Him, “Reconcile this chaos please!”
I found myself crying on the floor,
Face down upon my knees.

As my sobbing subsided,
I heard that still small voice.
“Focus on Me my son.”
This is your best choice.”

Today I have a new posture,
I ignore the worldly lies.
My focus is on Jesus,
It’s to Him I lift my eyes.

Contraviction has become a blessing,
It forced me to realize that there was more.
A renewed love for Jesus Christ
The only One who can authentically restore.

Today I have a new freedom in Christ,
Refreshed just like the summer breezes.
I don’t buy into their mainstream Christianity,
My focus is on Jesus.

This doesn’t mean I’m a loner,
Who shuns the church and fellowship.
It means I am pursuing more of Him,
A blessing every disciple should not skip.

If you find that you can relate to,
Anything I’ve said in this simple poem.
I encourage you to get alone with Jesus,
For comfort and restoration within His Shalom.

When contraviction confounds you,
Don’t become angry and run away.
View it is an invitation.
Spend time alone with Jesus, each and every day.

Cuddle up with Christ,
Heal from your affliction.
The sufficiency of your walk with Jesus,
Will be assaulted by contraviction.