apprenticeship (matt. 23:1-12; 1 thess. 2:9-13)

if i preached
what i practice

i could be a huckster
with that little chopper,
dicing my sins
into such tiny pieces,
i do not even taste them
in this stew of my life;

i could manage
a kiosk out at the mall,
dispensing that canny cleanser
that removes all the garbage
i spill on myself
throughout the day;

i could be a street peddlar,
reaching into my cart
and handing out
the burdens i picked up
along the way,
being too busy
(and important!)
to carry them myself.

so,
draw near to me,
that I might
apprentice myself to you,
working night and day
to learn how to craft
a worthy life.
(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

play-acting (matthew 22:15-22)

having taken
the Hypocritic Oath,
i can easily prescribe
a treatment of behavior
for my neighbors,
yet proscribe
the same ethics
from my life;

switching sides
as easily as a
charlatan
changes his beliefs,
i can make reservations
for a pious table,
and gorge myself
at temptation's buffet;

building my image
as a purveyor of peace,
i can dissemble
with violent thoughts
and the WMDs of words;

please:
hold up that shiny coin
which bears my image
so I can see
who I really am,
and discover
whose I might be . . .

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

idolly

taking my fears,
i jury rig them
into a juggernaut
of false security
to protect me
but you would
sweep it away,
that I might dangle my feet
in trust's river;

all my anger
is poured into the mold
of my heart,
where it cools and hardens,
unbreakable in the face
of your compassion
for those i know would use me,
but you would soften it
shaping it into grace
we can all feed on;

craftily,
promoters of platitudes
and sellers of certainties
become the icons
on which my life focuses,
but you would turn
my stiff neck
so i can see Jesus
walking sin's side streets
looking for me;

with such a
bull market on idols,
what shall i do?

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman

persistent, aren't you

confident that the
wanting-to-do-it-our-way
strategy always works,
we end up tagging on amendments
to your guides for life,
but patiently,
you out-wait us
continuing to reshape us
into your community;

confident that our
pedigree of proud production
will earn us a place
on the kingdom's board of directors,
we habitually clog
the road to your heart,
but grittily,
your grace keeps moving
our stumbling blocks
out of the way;

confident that
what we have learned
(on our own, thank you!)
and taught to others
(you are most welcome!)
is exactly what we (and they) need,
we build a fence walling
ourselves off from your dreams,
but persistently,
you keep sending us servants
(like Theresa, Martin, Roger)
to help us become
better neighbors.

persistently,
patiently,
gracefully,
you press on . . .

(c) 2008 Thom M. Shuman