A SHEPHERD WHO SMELLS OF SHEEP

Lord, I want to be a shepherd who smells of sheep;
A paramedic whose hands are smeared with blood and dirt;
An intercessor with tears on my cheeks.

Lord, teach me to look in order to see.
Look behind the flawless makeup and the forced smile
To detect the fear reflected in those eyes;
See the anguish behind the scowl and frown.

Lord, teach me to listen so that I may hear;
Hear the sob disguised in harsh words,
Capture the message masked by fast brittle talk,
Hear the wail from a wounded heart;
Hear the desperate cry for help;
Hear what he longed to say, but didn’t.

Lord, teach me to sense so I can feel.
Sense the unspoken need,
Perceive the void in the life of my brother,
Perceive the emotional pain my sister is suffering.
Feel with compassion and love with your love.

Lord, teach me to intercede
(Not to have a list of people for whom I pray,
But to pray on behalf of people).
Intercede with compassion and tears
For people with needs and unspoken fears;
For the rich who really have nothing;
For the self-sufficient who lack everything.

Lord, make me a shepherd who smells of sheep;
A paramedic whose hands are smeared with blood and dirt;
An intercessor with tears on my cheeks.