1'What do you want?' They asked. 'Makeup? Clothes? Money?'
- No, no, not really 'Then what can we give you For your sweet sixteenth?'
I stopped and thought. I have makeup, clothes and money, I have food, shelter, and love. What more could I want? Well.
But as I thought some more, I understood. I would be selfish, so selfish To want even more for myself, So.
- Money, I said. They smiled.
- Money for the poor. They frowned. They argued - 'But, dear, it's your birthday! We want to get something for you!' I sighed. I have so much! Why, oh why, Do they insist on giving me more?
God said, 'the second greatest commandment Is to love others as yourself" And they said, 'Oh, but we do! See we're her giving gifts!'
But God knows, and I know That we have so much, And they have so little. To love them as ourselves, We would have to give To them, out of our Worldly possessions- Until we all had the same.
You call yourselves God's Children Yet you don't keep his commandments - You, from your holy pedestal Try to convert others; unsuccessfully. "You hypocrites!" God says. "Don't pretend to love me, When you're letting The poor go hungry!"
- For you can give and not love,
But you can't love, and not give.
So I said to them Who wanted to give me presents,
- No, give them to the poor. And the heard, but didn't understand, Didn't agree, Still insisted on giving me gifts.
My heart aches for the poor, And I can't believe the selfishness. While tears stain my checks, The rich dine in luxury And my heart is heavy With anger and despair
Yet, I know I do the same. I'm ashamed, but it's true - I go to the movies, And I have more clothes, money, and food, Then I shall ever need. And so you ask, Now who's the hypocrite? And laugh.
But, pray stop! It's not a laughing matter - The greedy rich get richer And the thirsty poor get poorer . World Vision merely taints The whole big picture.
Living in a world where looks matter so - You feel that You 'need' more clothes, more food, More movies. It's almost impossible to break This never-ending cycle.
But it didn't have to be this way.
God, it doesn't have to be this way! Oh, Lord, forgive us Our selfishness, And help us to have Enough strength, And enough love,
- To change.