Help Us Lord

Heavenly Father, Help us remember
that the lady who cut us off in traffic
last night is a single mother who
worked nine hours that day and
is rushing home to cook dinner,
help with homework,do the laundry
and spend a few precious moments
with her children.

Help us to remember that the
pierced, tattooed, disinterested
young man who can't make
change correctly is a worried
19-year-old college student,
balancing his apprehension
over final exams with his
fear of not getting his
student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord,
that the scary looking bum,
begging for money
in the same spot every day
(who really ought to get a job!)
is a slave to addictions
that we can only imagine
in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the
old couple walking annoyingly
slow through the store aisles
and blocking our shopping
progress are savoring this
moment, knowing that,
based on the biopsy report
she got back last week, this
will be the last year that they
go shopping together.

Heavenly Father,
remind us each day that,
of all the gifts you give us,
the greatest gift is love.

It is not enough
to share that love
with those we hold dear.

Open our hearts not to
just those who are
close to us,
but to all humanity.

Let us be slow to judge
and quick to forgive,
show patience, compassion,
mercy and...
love.