July 29th

"So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, 'I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.'" Matthew 27:24

when they bring us in
and seat us in the
interrogation room, and

begin to question us about

why we allowed children

to go hungry each night

while our garbage bins 

reeked of thrown out food,

why we refused to demand

that those who want to open

up homeless shelters in winter

be given the same incentives

as the developers building 

million-dollar gated communities,

or why we simply choose 

to remain silent instead 

of confronting bullies, we

simply wring our hands 

under the table protesting 

our innocence, while

you weep behind the 

one-way window into our

souls.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 28th

"'Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.'" Joshua 24:15

we could listen quietly
sitting on our tongues

to make sure they do not

just get up and into 

someone else's face.

we could sweep our fears

off the front porch of our hearts

and put out the welcome mat

so others know that they

can find a home in us.

we could walk Grace and Hope

down the street, letting all 

the little kids (and the big ones)

run up to hug them and

get wet sloppy kisses to bring

healing to their wounded souls.

we could pause and turn

to see those that scare us

so much face to face, only

to discover we are looking

into the mirror.

or

we could choose

to keep living just 

as we are right now.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 27th

"Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God." Joshua 23:11

reckless with our words
we damage the spirits

of folks seeking hope.

indiscreet with our feelings

we break the hearts 

of the ones we claim to honor.

remiss with the gift of mercy

we continue to sentence 

friends to a life time of guilt.

absent-minded with our thoughts

we slowly erode our spirits until

they can barely manage 

to remember kindness and peace.

negligent about keeping the secrets

of those who thought they

could trust us with their lives,

we shatter their souls into 

a million tiny shards of grief.

impetuous in our life long dream

of slowly trying to bend you

to our selfish will and whims,

we relegate you to that bin 

which overflows 

with the ashes 

of our love.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 26th

"This is the reason that I have so often been hindered from coming to you." Romans 15:22

we sit around hard tables
in chairs getting more uncomfortable
that we rush out of the place
never noticing you and the folks
with the towels, mops, bins
waiting to clean up the mess
we manage to leave behind.
we sit in our easy chairs
looking through those yearbooks
which carry the memories of all
those good old days, which were good
because we didn't have to make
any of the hard life-changing decisions
and so do not see you standing
on the sidewalk, pack on your back,
walking stick in your hand, and a
gleam in your eye, as you hope
to lead the way to even better days
than we could ever begin to imagine
as we sit wrapped in the past.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 25th

"Transgression speaks to the wicked 

    deep in their hearts;
there is no fear of God
   before their eyes." Psalm 36:1

they look at us,
a hunger in their eyes

for our adulation and

chants of their name,

of wanting to see us

waving our hands in worship

and a bending of our knees

in abject loyalty to them,

or a recognition that their

words overflowing with

hollow promises fill that 

void in our shriveled lives

and their winks, nods, and

finger pointing our way 

show a deep affinity with us, 

a relationship which is abiding 

beyond all words.

but

when we look deeply 

into their eyes, all we glimpse

is that deadness of souls which

have shriveled because of 

the contempt and distrust they

truly have for every single person

who is not them.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 24th

"And there, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written." Joshua 8:32

sorry, Josh, but
we need to borrow the stone

which warns about having

any other Gods, to put under

the chair of our political choice,

and that one about honoring

our parents and their generation

we will place in their way so they

can stumble all over the place

proving we are right that folks

who are of a certain age are useless,

and those ones about not 

telling falsehoods, or killing, no

cheating on those we swear to love,

and not being jealous of what others own,

well, gosh, they have just gone 

out of style as far as we are concerned.

and just like that, your hopeful reminders

are ground into gravel we can walk

over on our way to foolishness

beyond imagination.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 23rd

"If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." Romans 14:8

when our hearts

are so full of hubris

that we cannot be humble

enough to care for the

forgotten, the vulnerable,

the despised, the lonely;

when our souls slowly

begin to shrivel because

they drink deeply from

the bitter waters of fear

rather than from the sweet

fountains of grace;

when we would rather 

live with grudges weighing

us down instead leaving them

by the side of the way as

we seek to follow you, we

are slowly dying on the vine

of love, wonder, and joy

which we know as you.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 22nd

"Owe no one anything, except to love one another;" Romans 13:8a

we would max out our plastic
treasure in order to buy

rounds for all our mates

at the bar, but become

skinflints over feeding 

a few hungry souls,

we would take out 

a second mortgage

in order to have that

vacation of a lifetime

but turn into mini-Scrooges

when someone needs 

shelter from winter's blast,

we would borrow ten dollars

from a buddy in order 

to have another cup of joe

at the newest coffee shop

but roll up the window as

the car draws near the

fellow on the corner 

holding a hand-written

plea for help.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 21st

"So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat;" Joshua 6:20

if only it was

as easy shouting

to bring down the walls

of division and discord.

if only all it took

was the world singing

to give peace a chance.

if only it was as simple

as marching in the 

light of God to end

all hatred and oppression.

if only we had to pick up

our trumpets to turn

our communities into havens

of hospitality towards all,

of healing for the broken,

of kindness offered to

the forgotten and the vulnerable.

if only . . . 

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

July 18th

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

when we have a mind
that folks need to earn

justice rather than freely shared

or 

kindness is just to be

that random sort of thing

we do when someone needs

a door held open in the rain

but building affordable housing

doesn't seem to come to mind

or 

we think that the world is right 

when the wealthy get all the breaks

the powerful are never held accountable

the celebrities are always given

a hall pass for their knuckleheadedness

well, we seem to have 

a different notion than you do

about what is good.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 17th

"The Lord looks down from heaven; 

     he sees all humankind." Psalm 33:13

peering through our 

rose-colored glasses 

of all's right with the world,

we never notice 

the children at the park

playing playing by themselves,

the older lady eating 

alone in the bistro,

the immigrant family 

struggling to buy food

in a language they 

cannot speak yet,

the pierced young person 

with the multi-hued hair

wondering why everyone else 

who had been sitting 

in the waiting area 

have been called back 

for a job interview, when

they were the first person

to arrive that morning.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 16th

"Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'" Matthew 25:24-25

afraid they might spend it

on addicts, the homeless,

and all the other losers 

who hang out on our streets,

we keep your grace in 

safe deposit boxes, throwing

away the keys, 

we bury your hope ten feet

below the ground and then

pour two foot thick slabs

of concrete over the dirt,

we put all our justice 

into bearer bonds which 

won't mature for at least

another 50 years which by then

will make it someone else's problem,

we put put a lot of memes

and platitudes and posts

about how we can't look

at another person and know

what they are going through,

while turning our backs on

those standing on street corners,

all the while waiting for you 

to pat us on the head 

like good little girls and boys.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 15th

"So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace." Romans 11:5

in the din of the angry,

shouting, chanting voices 

breaking all decibel records,

there is a little girl

singing of gentleness.

in the crowds of folks

who are pushing and pulling

at grace as if it was 

a ball in a rugby scrum,

there is a referee reminding

folks that it is just a game, after all.

in the alley way, where 

loneliness sits huddled in

a sagging cardboard box,

as tears from heaven 

rat-a-tat over its head, a

homeless fellow walks by

offering a sip of hope, and

then walks on, saying,

'keep the bottle.'

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 14th

"They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Mark 1:22

is it irony that folks

seem more interested

in putting the 10 Rules on display

rather than the 8 Blessings?

is it telling that we

keep reminding folks of

the parable of the lucky sheep

and those unfortunate goats

but fall silent about your

reminding us to notice

that big log in our eyes 

and not the speck in another's?

is it something about us

that we find your woes 

and curses far more astounding

than those comments about

loving enemies, giving away 

all that we have, about taking

up that cross called faith and

following you wherever you lead?

or is it, we think your authority

has diminished somewhat?

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 13th

"So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17

faith

comes in those old stories

we have heard so often

from those with snow white hair

that we could finish them

before they get to the end

and sometimes it annoys us

with those troubling questions

that kids ask which make us turn

hoping to see someone behind us

who can answer them.

and 

in the silly songs composed

by little ones in bubble-filled baths

as they try to put off bed time

for as long as they can, as well

as in the birds who hesitantly,

and then with greater courage,

begin to sing of hope and joy

after a terrifying storm has 

rushed past our houses, 

we hear the whispers of

faith.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 12th

"But what does it say?

   ‘The word is near you,
    on your lips and in your

       heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);" Romans 10:8

like little kids taking

a vow to keep a secret

and miming locking

our lips with a key, we

seem reluctant to sing

of grace to those who

have forgotten the tune

as well as the words.

like a dog which builds

a 'fort' of pillows and blankets

to hide behind when the

fireworks are going off,

we think justice needs 

to be protected at all costs

from those who would 

sneak in and pry it from

our privileged grasp.

like those who are deaf 

to the familiar words 

their loved ones tell them

because they just 

do not care any more,

we refuse to listen 

to the joyous shouts 

of those who discover

how easy it is to show

mercy to others, rather

than carry grudges 

throughout each day.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman 

July 11th

"What shall I return to the Lord 

    for all his bounty to me?" Psalm 116:12

when, at the last, 

i stand before you

may i have no love left

because i shared it 

without any conditions,

no grace in my pockets

because i handed it out

to those i met along the way,

no hope tucked away in my soul

because i set it free to run

and throw its arms around

those forgotten by the world,

no justice left in my hands

because i used it to build

better communities for all

judged unfairly by the privileged,

no peace because there were

people who needed it to bring

an end to ancient hostilities,

no ego because i met those

who set aside their dreams

to care for the most vulnerable

of all your children rather 

than serve themselves.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

 

July 10th

"but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

    in those who hope in his steadfast love." Psalm 147:11

remind us, Tender Heart,

to look past that ancient bugaboo

that we are supposed 

to stand before you,

shaking in our shoes,

knees knocking a rhythm,

terror's tremors reducing us

to seeming puddles of nothingness,

but 

to see you holding out

your hands to gather all

our panicky, prickly fears

so you can rub them 

to dust in your hands

and then blow them away

like dandelion puffs in grass

where the Spirit will transform

them into hope which will

shower us like cooling rain

on the hottest day imaginable.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 9th

 "Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; 

    the faithful have disappeared from humankind." Psalm 12:1

where have all the faithful gone?

we've gone chasing after

the peddlers of broken promises.

where have all the godly gone?

we've left the thin places

to fill the arenas of those demanding

a different way than the gospel

of love, hope, grace, justice.

where have all the merciful gone?

we've linked arms in solidarity

with anyone who blames everyone

for everything.

where have all the helpers, the 

peacemakers, the menders, 

the gentle, the welcomers gone?

farther away from your Beloved Community

as you would ever have imagined, and

we can't seem to find those 

breadcrumbs you left

so we could find our way back.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

 

July 7th

"And immediately they left their nets and followed him." Mark 1:18

we sit in our easy chairs

and when the doorbell

 rings, we peek through

the curtains and when we

see who it is, stage whisper,

'it's Jesus! turn off the TV! 

maybe he'll go away.'

we drive down the road

and see you at the side

holding a sign reading, 

WILL CALL FOLKS TO FOLLOW

FOR FOOD AND SHELTER,

and quickly do a U-turn.

we answer an online ad

for a job which requires 

a willingness to listen and

no manual labor, and send

the reply from you to our spam folder.

for some reason,

immediately

just isn't in our vocabulary.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 6th

"I see him, but not now; 

    I behold him, but not near—" Numbers 24:17a

we know the names

and stats of all the players

running up and down 

the pitch, the floor, the field,

but those who pick up the trash,

care for the grounds, arrive early

to get the concessions ready,

and who mop out the facilities

after everyone has gone home?

them we could care less about

because they are not the famous,

the superstars, the GOATS,

the ones with the big contracts.

but we can bet 

that

you know the names of all

the ones we are so quick

to discount, to ignore, 

to complain about the loudest

if our least little whine is not

heard and responded to

immediately.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 5th

"O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, 

    or discipline me in your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
My soul also is struck with terror,
   while you, O Lord—how long?"  Psalm 6:1-3

if we were you,

the knuckleheads would

spend s-o-o-o much time

staring at the walls, 

or having to sit on cushions

while the place where their

brains seem to be heals,

or would be grounded 

well past the first successful

flight of all the pigs,

but being you,

you gather us from the corner

and place sit us on your lap,

you turn your wooden paddles

into kindling for making s'mores,

and you hug us with your grace

calming the tremors of that

false narrative of your wrath.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 4th

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

they sit before us, or
stand in the dock, as

we look down at them

from high on the bench

of our self-righteousness,

ready to pronounce the

sentence of outright rejection

and being cast into the 

outer regions of forgetfulness

when

suddenly the door in the back

bangs open and you come

marching down the aisle, 

"for the defense, Yahweh 

Elohim Jesu Christu 

Ruach Spiritus, ready to

present some new evidence

that they are no more guilty

than you . . .

and I should know."

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 3rd

"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." Romans 7:15

here is what i realize
when i gaze in the my own

mirror of serised:

it's not those things which

would rank in just about

anyone's top ten list of

what we know we shouldn't do.

it is

hopelessness gnawing 

at my weary heart,

it is the seduction of those who

intentionally choose cruelty,

it is that deep longing

to just throw in the towel

when i should be wiping

the tears of another's struggles,

it is that lingering doubt

that maybe seeking justice,

doing kindness, and following

God really are outdated.

those are the sins crouching

on the porch outside my

soul.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 1st

"He will send from heaven and save me, 

    he will put to shame those who trample on me.
God will send forth his steadfast love 

   and his faithfulness." Psalm 57:3

when i want to hide under

the covers because it is just

so scary out there, send

those little birds who will sing

glad songs of hope.

when i need to go through

more physical therapy

because the knuckleheads

just refuse to stop pummeling

me with the bitter words, send

those gentle hands which

will ease the tight muscles

of my soul.

when it seems that i am

the only one who sees that

little glimmer of hope 

there in the eye of the old

folks who everyone discounts

simply because, well because

they are old, may i not turn

away but learn from those

faithful, not-so-ancient-as-we-think

lives.

(c) 2024 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman