They say walk a mile in another man’s shoes
But why must you be asked to go so far?
Isn’t it enough that he lives and breathes
To know that one day he will bear your scar?
It may seem that life gave him free reign
He hurts others and expects to be forgiven
But you have not witnessed his punishment
It is not God’s plan to reveal when he will be driven
Into the desert of scorched lament and sorrow
The clock will strike when God makes the decision
The test is not only in bearing your own pain
But also in our discomfort with God’s random precision
The one you hate suffers more than you will ever know
Because his conscience burns deep into his heart
And when he faces you in his unrepentant guise
You must ask did God give you the power to make the sea part?
Did God hand you the hammer and the nails?
Did God hand you the judgmental stone?
Did God ask you to be the tool for retribution?
Or is today the day for you to atone?
To lower your gaze and be the truth
The truth of humility and an open heart
Not to be hurt once again as before
But to show that God is the one who makes the sea part
And as you walk in fear towards an image beyond crashing walls
The pain you bore is trampled under your feet
The worthiness of the forgiver has been written for a thousand years
And on this day you will begin the journey your tormenter could never complete