The Collected Short Stories and Verse

By Maxwell R Watson

Short stories in the first person of some Biblical accounts, to help the reader better understand what it would have been like to be present. My wartime related stories are again in the first person. My poetry is basically my struggle in maturity in my Christian faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maxwell R Watson
• Release date: Sep 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311788856

Maxwell R Watson

I am now retired. I spent 20 years as a Pastor and then worked in International Humanitarian Aide work. In 2004 I survived a massive stroke and like to encourage people to not give up in their life circumstances.

Book preview

Foreword

I am the very first person to say that while I enjoy the process of writing, not everything I write is good or read worthy. Some of my poetry is not very good, as far as poetry goes, but I wanted to include it to give the reader a better understanding of who I am. Not that it really matters, but there is a small niggling feeling in me that it does matter, so if my journey through verse helps you in any way, then my heart is glad. My short stories are not intended to be anything more than a few moments of withdrawal from your busy life to think about something else and hopefully to challenge you in some way. It is my deep wish that these stories do inspire you to a greater depth of thought.

Warning: I lay no claim to be an English expert, though I have tried in regards to gramma, but I know I fall short. Please bear with me.

Acknowledgements

I would like to offer my most sincere gratitude to my wife, Chris Watson, as she has patiently walked by my side for more than 33 years. Her encouragement has helped me come to terms with difficult times and we have faced many, squarely on, together and we are both stronger for having done so. I wish to acknowledge Laurie & Joan Watson, Frank Kimpton & Bob Wedding; while those who are still living know who you are.

What others say

Max has a gift for writing....for putting words together succinctly and powerfully. I have encouraged him to keep writing often, and that he find an avenue for sharing it, as his words are weighty and significant....worthy of being read by others.

Narelle Crabtree (Senior Leader, Dayspring Church, Sydney, Australia)

First Person Bible Stories

Sermon on the Mount

Written: 2008

I stood on the very edge of an extraordinarily large crowd, where the pushing and jostling by sweaty smelly bodies was at a minimum. It was a hot day and tempers were raised, so with every push came a curse. Most people in my vicinity did not even know why they were present as it wasn't like there was any particular attraction out here in the hills, only dust and heat and it seems to me our land has an abundance of both of those. But on this day there was something different. The murmurings were concerning a new teacher who was promising to teach those who would learn an entire new way in which to live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Well, we all want that don't we, even if we aren't prepared to admit it!

About 2 or 3 hours after the crowd had gathered the general murmuring grew louder until I heard a clear voice above all others, he has arrived, he has arrived, The teacher is here. Being on the edge of the crowd now paid its dividend, as I was afforded a now clear and uninterrupted view of the teacher and his small band of followers. He was a most normal appearing fellow, not at all with any lofty air about him nor awe-inspiring looks to attract people to his presence, but his eyes held a depth in them that I am convinced that no other man has ever possessed. Coupled with his gentle smile, which was as far from being arrogant as could be, gave a surety that brought instant comfort to anyone who looked upon him.

He slowly made his way through the crowd, so as to gain a high point. Not one set of eyes left him, rather all intensely fixed on him, many people not even knowing why, such was his charisma.

When he spoke his voice was so clear and powerful it was like hearing him inside your head and not just with your ears it was as if his soul was speaking directly to my soul with no external interference, I have never experienced anything like it before that day or since. He spoke of many different things never quite being perfectly clear in meaning, just leaving enough room for you to think and imagine. His teaching came out in stories and parables rather than the straightforward legalistic manner of the religious teachers.

He spoke of many different things, like doing our good deeds without an audience, not thinking lustful thoughts about someone you are not married to and to be totally faithful in your marriage. Many of the things he said upset the religious leaders in the crowd, I could see them grouping together and talking amongst themselves. It would not surprise me if they were actually plotting against him, I wouldn’t trust that lot not even for as long as it takes to blink.

They got more and more agitated as he went on speaking directly at them concerning false teachers and the fate of those who refused to listen to his teaching. I tell you they were very angry with him, as they knew as well as we did he was speaking about them.

As for me and I daresay all the other everyday people, we believed him as we had never heard anyone speak with such passion, power and authority and I will very probably never be the same again.

The Crucifixion

Written: 2008

As a classified Roman Citizen in the employment of the Governor I am expected to attend certain important events and the execution of a fanatic is such an occasion. I wasn't particularly concerned I had been to a crucifixion before, but as I was to learn there had never been a crucifixion like this before and I doubt there would there be again.

The prisoner had been duly tried, by several courts, and was found guilty and through a some kind of deal had been sentenced to death by crucifixion, to take place today. I was keen to impress the Governor, as I wanted a promotion, so I rose early, bathed and dressed appropriately then set off to get a front row spot.

The prisoner was dragged out of the courtyard where he had been beaten so severely that often people receiving the 39 lashes die, but he survived quite well really. Now he had been given the cross bar of his own instrument of death to carry, talk about cruel and unusual punishment.

The crowd waiting at the palace gates was unusually large for a crucifixion, but this guy had been a public figure and very popular with many ordinary people. When the gates opened the procession was lead by a Centurion, which in itself showed just how serious this was. Well, the party finally cleared the gates, and they were closed again.

The prisoner was clothed only in a loin cloth and a makeshift crown that had been fashioned out of a thorn bush commonly found around the outskirts of the city as an obvious way in which to humiliate him, as if someone being led off to die painfully and slowly needs to be humiliated. His back looked like it had been raked with a brush of nails. How he was even able to stand was a testament to his strength of character as well as his physical strength.

But even with his observable strength the result of the beatings and the jeering crowd was taking a terrible toll. Every time he even stumbled one of the guards would savagely lash him, as if more beating could encourage anyone in that condition to do better. It was on one such occasion that he fell so heavily the cross beam fell to the ground, and it seemed to me that he not be capable of picking himself up again, let alone the beam. The guards became furious and beat him all the more savagely, to no avail. The Centurion immediately summed up the situation and could see the prisoner was all but spent. He strode over to the edge of the crowd, an area where there were some apparent supporters and selected a man who appeared reasonably physically fit with adequate strength to carry the beam and was commanded him to do so.

With a hush the crowd as one took a deep breath as this man slowly lifted the cross piece to his shoulder, the weight of these things is enormous actually they weigh more than a large fat person. They are only roughly crafted out of a very hard wood and as well as being extremely heavy; they give off a plentiful supply of splinters that pierce deeply and quickly and painfully fester. This man was apparently known to some in the crowd as they called out to him in an effort to encourage him onward and to be free of his imposed burden all the sooner.

Meanwhile the guards had not simply ignored the prisoner, as they were taking turns in spitting on him, or lashing him with whatever they happened to be holding. To the total astonishment of everyone present a woman broke free of the crowd and knelt by the prisoner; she was sobbing, but managed to control herself just enough to transfer a cup from her cloak and pour some water into it from a wineskin slung around her neck then she held it so the prisoner could drink a few quick swallows before one of the guards kicked her and told her to be off.

Consequently, the gruesome procession restarted its slow journey out of the city. All along the streets people would come out to jeer, cry, and shout abuse or encouragement. This man can draw people out of themselves to an opinion if nothing else. The women were wailing and children screaming, many people joined the crowd as we ever so slowly made our way out to execution site, which was always secret until the prisoner arrived. The military always kept several sites prepared so as the leave their options open or to make attending as difficult as possible.

The heat was building; it was obviously going to be a very hot and uncomfortable day, especially for the prisoners-yes. I omitted to tell you that there were actually three prisoners; the main one is the man I have been concentrating on, but there were two others as well, rather notorious criminals whose guilt was not about to be debated by anyone. Therefore, on we all slowly plodded, out through the gates, where some youths threw a few pieces of fruit at the condemned men.

Once outside the city wall, the crowd seemed to grow even larger, the soldiers started to appear a little concerned, as they knew that a crowd like this had the potential to overpower them. Nevertheless, with a fair number of religious leaders spread throughout the crowd that was highly unlikely.