No good deed goes unpunished

After John 5:1-17 

A man lame and paralyzed

38 years is healed by the stirring

of the waters of the word,

and the result is wonder,

amazement, perhaps some fear,

and fury.

The healed man carries

his bed, as commanded,

violating the human sabbath.

That he is healed is not

the point, that he is healed

is beside the point, they say.

That the healer told him

to get up, take his bed,

and walk is superfluous. 

They want, they demand

the man who commanded

a violation of the sabbath,

both in the healing and

in the command.

The healed man sees

his healer again;

the sabbath-keepers know

who it is. No good deed

will go unpunished. 

 

Photograph by Hsiu Lee via Unsplash. Used with permission.