silently now

“The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.” Acts 15:12

if we keep silent,

we might just feel 

the flutter of the butterfly

halfway around the world

which warns of the breaking

of creation.

if we keep silent,

we might just hear

the cries of the children

who find the adults around them

doing everything they can

to crush their spirits and

shatter their souls.

if we keep silent,

we might find ourselves

surrounded by that hope

which tiptoes past the sentries

of fear, hate, and injustice

to wrap us in the warm shawl

woven from grace, hope, and compassion.

(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman