By. Sophia B.
People
have been moved by poetry for thousands of years. Some of the most beloved
passages in the Bible come from the book of Psalms, which is composed of poems
written by a variety of authors, including David, Moses, and Asaph. Since God
chose to use poetry in His Word, then believers can also use this form of
writing to impact people for His glory.
Musical Poetry –
Showcasing the Beauty of the Gospel
In
an interview
with The Gospel Coalition, Jackie Hill Perry emphasized the emotional
aspect of poetry, which makes it an effective form for reaching people at a
personal level. She stated, “I think poetry and music really is a beautiful way
to influence people’s thoughts and feelings toward something and someone higher
and better” (Perry). As a poet and rapper, she seeks to do just that by sharing
the gospel creatively through the spoken word.
Just
as spoken word hip-hop combines poetry with music, so also did the hymn writers
use their skills to craft poetic songs that share the good news of Christ. John
Newton’s hymn, “Amazing Grace” presents his testimony lyrically with vivid
images. In describing his radical change when he placed faith in Jesus, he
wrote, “I once was lost but now am found, / Was blind, but now I see” (Newton,
verse 1). Similarly, Fanny Crosby, a prolific hymn writer and poet, penned many
hymns that testified to the transforming power of the gospel. In her hymn
“Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It!” she sings of salvation and being
“Redeemed by the blood of the lamb” (Crosby, verse 1).
Challenging Our Hearts –
Poetry and Discipleship
While
specific poetic works focus on beautifully conveying the message of the gospel,
such as the ones written by Perry, Newton, and Crosby, other poems work to
stretch us spiritually. A small collection of poems by Amy Carmichael called If,
challenges me every time I read it with the reminder of Jesus’ sacrificial love
and how believers should live considering this truth. In one part of the poem,
she wrote,
“If
I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I
lose
affection,
or
lest the one concerned should
say,
‘You do not understand,’
or
because I fear to lose my
reputation
for kindness;
If
I put my own good name before
the
other’s highest good,
then
I know nothing of Calvary love”
(Carmichael
26).
In
a similar use of the poetic word, modern poet Scott Cairns presents the hard
teaching of how God desires that we grow to love others, even those who
irritate and frustrate us. At the end of his poem, “Possible Answers to
Prayer,” he wrote,
“Your
angers, your zeal, your lipsmackingly
righteous
indignation toward the many
whose
habits and sympathies offend you—
these
must burn away before you’ll apprehend
how
near I am, with what fervor I adore
precisely
these, the several who rouse your passions”
(Cairns,
par. 5-6).
These
poems challenge our hearts. They are effective because they stir emotion in us,
reminding us of the times we relented in speaking the truth out of fear of
being disliked or when we grew angry with others. Christians need writers
who challenge them to a deeper faith, urging them down the difficult path of
discipleship.
Like Healing Balm for the
Soul
As
works that affect the heart, poems can also minister to hurting individuals like
a healing balm for the soul. After my mother passed away when I was nineteen, I
read a poetry collection from the Salesian Missions. Although I am not a
Catholic, I found comfort in the simple, yet profound poems decorated with
colorful illustrations. One of the poems that specifically spoke to me amid my grief
was “The Other Side of the Mountain” by Gina Laurin.
She
did not diminish the pain we experience but encouraged readers to: “[not] give
up, you must keep going, / Though the tears fall down your face” (Laurin 104).
I could relate to the heartbreak and sorrow she conveyed in the poem because
losing my mother was the hardest thing I have ever experienced. Trying to make
it through each day felt like I was climbing a mountain, and I still experience
days where the pain is fresh and “the way is ever upward / And the mountain so
very steep” (Laurin 105).
Reading
these words continues to bring me a strange comfort by being able to give words
to my feelings. It also reminds me that there is “the other side of the
mountain,” a place where I will live forever with Jesus and where there is no
death or sorrow (Laurin 105; Revelation 21:4).
Other
poets also deal with difficult emotions and questions. Christina Rossetti
plumbed the depths of human feelings. She wrote about brokenness in “A
Better Resurrection” and about a woman longing to know Christ
in “Good
Friday.” These works express doubts and questions but point
back to the one who alone provides hope - Jesus.
Closing Thoughts
Concluding a survey of poetic works, I realize how varied Christian poets are, yet they affect people’s lives. Since poetry resonates with people’s hearts, it is a powerful medium for sharing the good news, urging deeper spiritual growth, and providing an outlet for healing in times of suffering or doubt.
Works Cited
Cairns, Scott. “Possible Answers to Prayer” from Philokalia: New and Selected Poems. Zoo, 2002. Poetry Foundation, 2022, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47673/possible-answers-to-prayer.- A Christian’s Book of Haiku by Daphne Washington
- A Sacrifice of Praise: An Anthology of Christian Poetry in English from Caedmon to the Mid-Twentieth Century by James H. Trott
- Mountain Breezes by Amy Carmichael
- Sea Glass: New and Selected Poems by Luci Shaw
- Slow Pilgrim: The Collected Poems by Scott Cairns
- “Writing Poetry: Where Do I Start?” by John Piper on Desiring God – Piper provides practical tips for beginning poets.
- Cairns, Scott. “Possible Answers to Prayers.” Poetry Foundation, 2022.
- Chesterton, G. K. “The Convert.” Poetry Foundation, 2022.
- Donne, John. “Holy Sonnets: Death, be not proud.” Poetry Foundation, 2022.
- Perry, Jackie Hill. “Spoken Word: Jackie Hill Perry – God’s Word.” YouTube, 2014.
- Rossetti, Christina. “A Better Resurrection.” Poetry Foundation, 2022.
- Shaw, Luci. “God’s Act in Acts.” Luci Shaw, 2022.
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