The Little Witness By Calvin Hart Be sure to also check out Calvin's NEW book, "Poems of Praise," containing 121 poems! (320 pages) "The works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me." ~ John 5:36 ~ hen I was a child I went with my parents, To the city of Jerusalem, I heard the crowd speak of a man named Jesus, And I wished to go and see Him. People said He was the Son of God, That He performed miracles in His Father's name, That He cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, And that He healed the blind and lame. I went with my father Simon, To see this marvelous man. But we heard He had been arrested, But why, I could not understand. We went to the trial to see for ourselves, Just what was taking place, I saw there, a man bound hand and foot, I saw the sad, painful look on His face. "I find no fault within this man," Pontius Pilate said to them, "I will chastise Him and let Him go." But the crowd yelled, "No, crucify Him!" Then Pilate said, "I wash my hands, Let His blood be upon you this day." The man named Jesus remained silent and still, As the soldiers led Him away. Around His shoulders they draped a purple robe, On His head, a crown made of thorns. They mocked Him, and called Him "King of the Jews". He was treated with hate, and scorn. Then they tied Him up between two post, A soldier took a whip in his hand, Over and over, he lashed out his whip, Until the flesh hung in shreds from the man. Finally they ceased the whipping, His body was bruised blue and black, They untied His hands, and placed a big cross, On His bleeding, whip scared back. The crowd spit on Him, and hit Him, As He carried the cross through the street, Suddenly the man named Jesus, Stumbled and fell at my father's feet. A soldier grabbed my father's arm, And pushed him towards the man, And said, "Carry His cross to Golgotha," As the man Jesus struggled to stand. My father took the cross upon his back, And told me to stay close by, I walked with my father, though scared as I was, And tried hard not to cry. When we reached the place called Golgotha, What I saw there made me weep. With three big spikes, they nailed the man Jesus, To the cross, through His hands and His feet. I asked my father, "What did He do? What crime is He guilty of? Is this not the very same man, Who has shown only Goodness and Love? Is He not the man who fed the multitudes? Who healed the sick and lame? Did He not bring the dead to life? Is He not the same? Is He not a righteous man For all the good that He has done?" My father said. "They have done this to him, Because he said that he is God's son." I asked my father, "Do you believe, That He is the Son of God?" Choked with emotion, and with tears in his eyes, My father could only nod. I looked up at the man named Jesus, He opened His eyes and looked down at me. With pain in my heart, and tears on my face, I mouthed the words, "I believe!" Through the mask of blood and pain on His face, I saw a smile, and a gleam in His eyes. Then He lifted His head and cried, "It is finished!" Then He lowered His head, and He died. My father took my hand and led me away, While I hung my head and cried, As I looked back at the man named Jesus, I saw a soldier thrust a spear in His side. We returned to our camp, and I told my mother, All that the soldiers had done. She cried out "Dear God, have mercy, They have killed your own precious Son." Three days later, on the Sabbath, Before Church I went out to play, I found myself standing outside of the tomb, Where the body of Jesus was lain. The tomb was open, the giant stone, Had somehow been rolled away. As I stood looking, from inside the tomb, I heard a man's voice say, "Fear not, for I know you seek Jesus. Why seek the living among the dead? He is not here, for He has risen! Do you not remember what Jesus has said?" A woman came running out of the tomb, She almost knocked me down, "He has risen !!!", she yelled at the top of her voice, As she ran toward the town. I entered the tomb of Jesus. I wondered to whom the other voice belonged, But I found no one else inside the tomb, And the body of Jesus was gone. When I left the cave to go tell my parents, I came face to face with a man. He had scars on His forehead, a wound in His side, And nail prints in His hand. He smiled and said, "Thank you child, For your faith in believing in Me." Then He was gone, and I ran home, As happy as I could be. I will never forget the man named Jesus, Whom they said was a fake and a fraud, But I watched Him die, then I saw Him alive, And I know He is the Son of God. ~ Calvin Hart ~ You may republish this without permission, provided it remains free, accredited and unaltered. Copyright © 2008 Calvin Hart.