The Story of the Two Snowmen

(for those of you near the Equator, you'll just have to use your imagination :) )

6/23/2007

Two snowmen stood by ocean deep

And added up the price

“What would I lose, what’s the cost,

If ME I sacrifice?”

They pondered soberly and swallowed hard

Until the privilege they could feel

Of abandoning their melting selves

Into an ocean that is Real.

Then in faith they each surrendered,

To the waves, the plunge, the deep.

In each tossed himself forever—

Own identity, no more to keep.

Or are we sure that happened next?

Let’s look again and see

What’s left of our dear snowmen—

Are they snowmen now or Sea?

While naked eye cannot distinguish

Where snowmen stop and oceans start,

Discerning eyes can always tell

For abandonment is in the heart.

To look at where our snowmen fell

You’d think there’d be no trace.

But acts of sacrifice or bravery

Do not everything erase.

Oh notice where the first one fell…

There’s quite a residue—

Like an oil-slick or a blemish

Tainting ocean’s glorious blue.

You see that snowman deep inside

Was self-aware and thought,

“They’ll look at me exclaiming,

‘Oh how lovely—especially in THAT spot’.”

And so, instead of a seamless blending,

His spot is dissonant and sad.

This snowman’s fall was useless.

There’s no beauty to be had.

But what of snowman number two,

Do we know what’s in his heart?

Is he invisible in wash and wave?

Or does he also stand apart?

Inside that snowman’s heart

We hear a very different chord.

He’s tickled just to know that

The ocean is adored.

He doesn’t know if he has helped,

Nor does he even care.

He’s just so glad to be inside,

No thought of who’s aware.

So, how about you dear reader—

Which snowman will you be?

Is His Greatness what you’re after?

Or do you hope you’ll enhance the sea?

Can Jesus really have it all?

Or must you horde a part

Of accolades and of success?

What’s there inside your heart?

If we extract from what we do

Something for ourselves, our gain—

God will leave. He won’t be there.

Can’t you feel the pain?

So, if you want the Bestest part

In any Work you do—

Make sure you do it all for Him

And not a bit for you.

Absorbed within an ocean

Or hidden time no end

The gig is great, you have no fear

With Jesus as your Friend!

-b