January 9th

“I did not speak in secret,
    in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
    "Seek me in chaos."
I the LORD speak the truth,
    I declare what is right.” Isaiah 45:19

justice does not come
masked, armed, camouflaged
to strike fear and terror,
but comes to lift the forgotten,
to offer welcome to the stranger.
love does not disparage others,
speak falsehoods as if true,
does not covet another’s belongings,
but is content with what it has—
so much that it is willing to share.
grace is not reserved for the privileged,
not sold to the highest bidder,
or seeks to disrupt people’s lives,
but is set out in yards and neighborhoods
with a sign that simply says
‘this is for anyone who needs it.’

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman