Heather Jephcott writes

Sitting Out Of The Circle 

Dear Lord,
help me not to sit
in the circle of the scoffers
arguing
oh yes Lord,
help me to recognise
the true seeker,
the one that questions
desiring understanding
and where
some discussion will help
Help me Lord
to see those that mock
and to pass their comments by
as you did
without answering.

Dear Lord
help me not to sit
in the circle of the skeptics
discussing
a topic
that goes around and around
where there is no desire
for resolution or for truth
Help me Lord
to do all of this
in a gracious manner
with no offence
other than love.

Dear Lord
help me not to sit
in the circle of the flouters
spewing
out anything that sounds good,
looks lovely
but brings grief to others
or has no solid base beneath
Help me to have
absolutely no desire
to win
anyone's approval
other
than your own.

A Proverb: He who holds the sack of gold will always have flatterers -- Pieter Breughel the Younger