Predictable outcome

After Acts 7:54-60

The outcome is predictable.

Tell a group of judges playing

to the gallery that they’re unjust,

corrupt, and no better than those

who came before with corruption

and evil in their hearts, and worse,

prove it to them with the history

they revere and cherish. Perhaps

a slim chance they will listen

and heed. Instead: anger and rage.

When he sees the vision,

the heavens opening,

the throne of glory, 

and says what he sees,

knowing he predicts his death,

the judges become the mob,

exercising mob rule and

mob justice, the mob drags

him away, outside the court,

outside the city, and the stones 

begin to fly and strike his chest,

his head, his face. He ends

his speech, 

his life,

with one spoken thought:

forgiveness.

Photograph by Johan Mouchet via Unsplash. Used with permission.