Who Shall We Follow

To whom shall we give our loyalty
                         to whom shall we speak respectful words
                         and to whom shall we promise to honor and respect

Who Oh Lord other than you

             You Oh Lord command our attention
                         You call us to look to the heavens
                          You prompt us to look beyond ourselves

We are nothing but who we are
             we are not more than what we are supposed to be
             humans we are humans we will be
                          and when we die we will die as humans

 While humaning upon the earth

             we yearn for things for ideals
             for principles for righteousness
                          for fairness equity legitimacy to all of Your people

We in our humaning at times want
             another human like us to lead us
             we know that in closeness there can be trust
                          we assume that some like us and different from us can lead us

For some of us in our humaning
             we want the leader to speak like us think like us live like us
             lead how we would live in our darkest places
                           and other such ideas of unspeakable nonsense

For some of the rest of us in our humaning

             we want a leader who inspires provokes encourages
             all manner of good like kindness generosity service
                            and other such ideas of speakable decency

We yearn for one who will lead
             since we cannot to go into arenas
             to which we are not invited for him or her
                             to represent truth about us speak for us not to speak like us

In our better selves as we human upon this earth
             we may imagine ourselves humaning like him
             we are caught up in our shame dehumanizing other humans we
             laugh or cry or rain shame upon us
                            we have done or thought the same

At other times we cringe knowing

             he demeans others who are human like us
            would prompt rage and anger were
                             he or anyone else to treat us with similar words phrase tones sentences

 In our better selves as humans

             as we human upon this earth
            we image ourselves humaning like him and
                            we rise and say glory hallelujah thank you

 That which is the best of our internal selves

             seen upon the grandest of stages
             a reflection of our ideals as we yearn to be and
             in amazement we stand as his and hers and their
                             humaning rise above the noise the din the insanity of a world gone mad

 Which human do I follow most instinctively

            which human do I most aspire to look sound
             behave like which human prompts internal conflicts
             as he speaks arouses behaves conducts the affairs on behalf
                             of those of us who cannot be there but can be only here

I reflect upon the people of Israel

            wanted a king God gave with a warning careful what you ask
             the kings did their kinging badly or well
                            David inspired with his devotion dancing writing singing playing

 I reflect upon the people of Israel

             got more than they asked for Solomon inspired
             with his wisdom and knowledge and skills of building leading
                            Ahab and Ahaziah inspired fear hide shrink mind our own business

 Inspire us again O Lord

             allow us to watch and sing and dance
             before you with joy mercy righteousness
                             leave behind our days of fear anger worry dread embarrassment

Bring again our truer better righteous selves as a people country

             to inspire prompt better higher nobler things characteristics
             treatment of people like different same not so same
                             people and planet we call home for others to call home