Love must be real

Haiku responding to Rom 12:9-21

Love must be real.

Hate the things that are evil,

hold fast to the good.

Love one another.

Compete with each other in

acting with honour.

Don't lag in zeal,

let your spirit be ardent

as you serve the Lord.

Rejoice as you hope,

be patient in affliction,

don't give up on prayer.

Support each other

financially; show strangers

hospitality.

When people oppress,

offer blessings. Yes, bless them,

and do not curse them!

When people rejoice,

rejoice with them, when they weep,

join your tears with theirs.

Live in harmony.

Try not to be arrogant;

mix with the lowly.

Don't repay evil

with evil. Act nobly, be

a good example.

If it's possible,

as it depends on you, live

peaceably with all.

Do not seek revenge;

vengeance is the Lord's concern.

Let God sort it out.

If your enemies

are hungry, feed them; if they

thirst, give them a drink.

Don't be overcome

by evil. Rather, defeat

it by doing good.

© Ken Rookes 2026

Shepherds

Some rural haiku

Rural metaphors

abound in Jesus’ teachings.

This is an old one

The Lord is shepherd;

we find it in the Psalms, and

in Ezekiel.

There’s a few of them;

Jacob, Moses, Amos, Dave –

looking after flocks.

Good shepherd Jesus;

guide, protector of his flock,

knowing ev’ry sheep.

He is no stranger.

We know his voice, hear his words,

and we follow him.

Jesus is the gate,

through him we pass into life

in all its fullness.

Thieves and bandits still

speak tempting words; we must not

let them seduce us.

Good at pretending

they have our interests at heart,

but ripping us off.

© Ken Rookes 2020

The place called the skull

haiku for those who scoff.

It is called The Skull,

this place where problems are fixed

in time-honoured ways.

Bodies are broken

and causes brought to an end,

Hopes meet their nadir.

People standing by

join their leaders' scoffing cries.

Soldiers also mock.

The man saved others;

if he is God's chosen one,

let him save himself!

Not much sympathy

from one who also hangs there;

he joins the mockers

Are you not the Christ?

Save yourself! While you're at it

spare a thought for us.

The third man protests:

He's not deserving of this!

Asks: Remember me.

Not permitting pain

to determine love's limits,

Jesus answers: Yes.

© Ken Rookes 2016

Tell us plainly (no more riddles)

So, is he the Messiah;

and what does it mean

if he is?

That eternal-life thing;

is it about heaven and the afterlife,

or is it something more significant?

The sheep that hear his voice,

the ones that follow him,

we're talking discipleship now,

costly and committed,

aren't we?

It's not just some pretty, clichéd,

Sunday-school image:

an assiduous shepherd,

with beard and long flowing hair,

carrying a cute but errant lamb

upon his noble shoulders;

is it?

Yeah, I thought so.

© Ken Rookes 2016