May 28th

“Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
   the cautious will keep far from them.” Proverbs 22:5

words sharpened by snark,
headlines which never end,
promises which lose their glitter
leaving splinters in our souls,
how crowded are the avenues
of our lives, O God—
these are the thorns
we feel in our impatience.
and yet, you show us
other paths to follow—
walking just a bit slower,
taking time to listen (deeply),
taking on compassion
as our guide on this pilgrimage
while anger tries to shove us off
so keep a watch over us,
Gentle God,
opening our hearts to kindness,
making us wise enough
to recognize every pitfall,
and gracious enough to pick
the paths which lead toward
love,
justice,
hope,
peace,
you.

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @ Thom-Shuman