A Ram for the Thieves
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
After Saint Spyridon released the men who had tried to steal his sheep, he gave them a ram and sent them away, saying, “That you may not appear to have watched all night in vain.” —Socrates Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History, Book I, Chapter 12
Recently I have had the opportunity to learn more about the Greek Orthodox tradition. So many faith traditions offer wisdom for this age. Here is a story for us:
Saint Spyridon lived on Cyprus in the fourth century. He started as a shepherd and later became a bishop, but even then, he kept tending his sheep himself.
One night, thieves broke into his sheepfold to steal some animals. But the story says an invisible force kept them from moving, so they spent the night stuck next to the sheep they wanted to take.
At daybreak, Spyridon found them.
It’s easy to picture how satisfying that moment must have been. The thieves were caught and couldn’t escape or talk their way out. Spyridon was in control. He could have called the authorities or his neighbors to shame them and make an example of them.
Instead, he prayed.
The men were freed from whatever had held them. Spyridon told them to earn their living honestly and stop taking what wasn’t theirs. Then he gave them a ram.
His last words showed both kindness and a bit of humor: “So that you will not have stayed awake all night for nothing.”
My attention returns to the ram. Spyridon didn’t pretend the theft hadn’t happened. He was honest about what the men did. But when he could have punished them, he chose to believe something better could happen.
Maybe he wondered why they came to his sheepfold. Were they hungry? Were their families hungry? Or were they just greedy? The story doesn’t say. Whatever the reason, Spyridon didn’t let their worst action define who they were.
Most of us like stories in which people get what they deserve. We especially like them when we have been harmed. When someone lies about us, betrays us, steals from us, or abuses our trust, we want the moral balance restored. We want the person who caused the pain to feel some of it.
Sometimes, people need to face consequences. Mercy doesn’t mean we have to stay in unsafe relationships or leave others unprotected. Justice is important because harm is real.
But underneath our wish for justice, another feeling can grow. We want the person who hurt us to feel ashamed. We want others to see what we’ve seen. We want the wrongdoer stuck with no way out.
Power changes us, even if we think we deserve it. Someone who’s been hurt can become cruel when things turn in their favor. A community that has suffered can end up causing more pain. People who once asked for mercy can become merciless when they’re in control.
Spyridon used his power to let the thieves go. Then he gave them something they didn’t even know how to ask for.
We don’t know what happened to those men. Maybe they sold the ram for food. Maybe one started raising sheep. Maybe they went back to stealing the next week.
Mercy doesn’t promise results. We want to know our kindness will lead to change. We want proof that forgiveness is deserved. Spyridon gave the ram without knowing what the men would do after.
He could do this because mercy wasn’t a deal he made with them. It showed the kind of person he wanted to be. This didn’t make him weak. Weakness would have meant pretending the theft never happened out of fear. Spyridon faced the men and told them to change. But he didn’t use their mistake as a reason to put them down.
There’s a kind of freedom in this story. Spyridon didn’t let the thieves decide what kind of person he would be. They came to take from him, but he didn’t let them take his compassion too.
Today, many people are waiting for their opponents to get caught. We gather proof of each other’s mistakes. Politics often relies on public shaming, and social media turns people’s worst moments into entertainment. It’s getting harder to remember that someone can be held accountable and still be part of the human family.
Maybe someone in your life is in the sheepfold right now. They’ve hurt you, let you down, or broken your trust. Now you might have the power to punish them.
You don’t have to pretend the harm didn’t matter. You don’t have to give up boundaries that keep you safe. You might need to be more honest than ever before.
But before you decide what to do next, take a moment to pause.
Ask what kind of person you want to be now that you have the upper hand.
Then think about whether there’s a ram you can give, not to reward the harm, but to make sure it doesn’t have the last word.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
When have you received mercy that you could not earn or repay?
Is there someone you have reduced to the worst thing they have done?
Where might accountability and mercy need to meet in your life?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer For When We Have the Upper Hand
Merciful One, when the one who harmed us stands powerless before us, quiet the voice that hungers for humiliation. Keep us honest about the wound. Give us courage to name what happened and wisdom to protect what is vulnerable. Then guard our hearts from becoming shaped by the cruelty we have endured. Show us the person still hidden beneath the offense. Teach us the strange freedom of refusing to return harm for harm. And when the moment comes, place some unexpected mercy in our hands— a prayer, an open door, perhaps even a ram— and give us the courage to let it go. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Find the Ram
Bring to mind one person toward whom you feel resentment. Don’t begin by forcing yourself to forgive them. Simply write down, as honestly as you can, what they did and what it cost you.
Then write this question: “What do I want to happen to this person?”
Notice whether your answer seeks accountability, safety, repair, humiliation, or revenge. Do not judge yourself. Tell the truth.
Finally, ask: “What would keep this harm from having the final word in me?”
Choose one small act that answers that question. It might be praying for the person, releasing an argument you keep rehearsing, establishing a clear boundary, refusing to repeat a humiliating story, or offering help without reopening the relationship.
Let that act be your ram.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
My team and I launched a new experiment we are calling “The Commons.” It’s an online space centered around communities of practice: groups of people who share a common concern, set of problems, or passion for a topic, and deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting on an ongoing basis. Join the community here.
August 4 - September 1, 2026, 12:30-1:30pmET - Book Club in The Commons - FREE - We are reading our next book, “I Eat The Stars” by Sarah Wilson. We will meet each Tuesday for 6 weeks. It’s such great fun. I hope you will be a part. All are welcome! RSVP HERE.
August 6, 2026, 7-8pm ET - FREE EVENT - Join me in conversation with Rev. Natalia Terfa about her new book, “It All Counts: Finding God Beyond the Boundaries.” What if the moments you’ve been taught don’t “count” spiritually are actually where God is waiting to be found? Many of us were handed a version of faith that divided life into sacred and secular, holy and ordinary, faithful and doubtful. But what if those boundaries were never real? Whether you’ve left church, stayed in it, or find yourself somewhere in between, this conversation will offer fresh language for a faith that is expansive, embodied, and deeply human. REGISTER HERE.
August 20, 2026, 7-8:45pm ET - I will be joining Jackie Sussman for an online session on practicing eidetics as a part of our “Reclaiming the Power of Imagination” monthly series. Eidetic Imagery is a powerful tool for pastors, denominational leaders, coaches, and spiritual directors working with others, and for individuals seeking deeper integration and healing in their own lives. Jackie is a psychotherapist, author, and leading expert in Eidetic Image Psychology, and has spent over forty years helping leaders and individuals unlock creativity, uncover hidden strengths, and move through limiting patterns. During this session, she will lead a live Eidetic process shaped by mythic imagery, offering a direct experience of the work. REGISTER HERE.
September 8, 2026, 7-9pm ET, ONLINE EVENT - I’ll be hosting a powerful online gathering on The Black Madonna: Sacred Wisdom for a World in Crisis with Matthew Fox, Alessandra Belloni, and Christena Cleveland. We will explore the Black Madonna as a symbol of resilience, liberation, sacred feminine wisdom, and healing in a fractured world through conversation, story, music, and spiritual reflection. If you feel drawn toward a deeper encounter with the Divine Feminine and the ancient traditions that continue to nourish movements for justice and wholeness, I hope you’ll join us. Learn more and REGISTER HERE.
September 14, 7-8:30pm ET ONLINE EVENT - I’m delighted to share that Dr. Margaret Wheatley is releasing a newly updated edition of her beloved book Perseverance: A Companion for the Journey this October. Written for those committed to serving the world with compassion in difficult times, the book offers daily wisdom and practical guidance for navigating grief, anger, exhaustion, and uncertainty while remaining rooted in love, courage, and presence. Meg and I will be in conversation to explore what perseverance looks like in this moment of history and how we can sustain ourselves for the long work ahead. I hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a deeply meaningful conversation. REGISTER HERE.
October 6, 2026 - 7-8:30pm ET, ONLINE EVENT - Matthew Fox and I are teaming up again to launch a series called Journeying with the Mystics. The mystics have always emerged in times of uncertainty. They appear when old certainties are crumbling, when institutions no longer provide easy answers, and when people find themselves longing for a deeper experience of the Sacred. Join us for an 18-session exploration of the teachings of St. John of the Cross, Thomas Merton, Hildegard of Bingen, Kabir and Rumi, Meister Eckhart and more. This is more than a lecture series. It is an invitation into a living spiritual journey. REGISTRATION COMING SOON!
October 18-21, 2026 - PREACH! 2026 Conference- I’ll be co-hosting PREACH in Minneapolis with Church Anew, a new gathering for preachers, storytellers, worship leaders, and spiritual communicators navigating what it means to speak with clarity, compassion, and courage in a changing world. If you’ve sensed that the preaching moment has changed and are longing for thoughtful community and renewed imagination for this work, I hope you’ll join us.
Fun Things My Friends Are Up To…
I get to work with such amazing, creative people. This section is my way of celebrating them—no paid promotions, just joy in what they’re creating.
My dear friend and Buddhist teacher, Isa Gucciardi PhD, leads this amazing center call The Foundation of the Sacred Stream. On August 13 from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Pacific (8:30 pm – 10:00 pm Eastern), they will be hosting an online event called “Compassion for the Modern Heart with Geshe Gedun Samdup.” In a world that moves quickly and often feels fragmented, compassion is not a luxury—it is a vital practice for staying present, connected, and resilient. This class offers a grounded and accessible exploration of compassion through the lens of Tibetan Buddhism’s three distinct forms of compassion: compassion for all beings, compassion for conditioned phenomena, and objectless compassion. Together, these teachings provide a practical and deeply nourishing framework for meeting the complexities of modern life with clarity and care. LEARN MORE HERE.
I’m delighted to celebrate the upcoming release of Wisdom Church: Abundant Life for Aging Congregations by my colleague, Rev. Dr. Anna Hall. Rather than seeing aging congregations as communities in decline, Anna invites us to recognize them as communities rich with wisdom, purpose, and possibility. Her book offers a hopeful vision for moving beyond anxiety about the future and embracing the unique gifts of older adults as beloved children of God. If your congregation is navigating these questions, this is a resource well worth reading. You can preorder the Kindle edition now, with delivery on August 17: https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Church-Abundant-Aging-Congregations-ebook/dp/B0HBXGYTWC
Every Monday, 12pm ET - ONLINE WRITING GROUP - My dear friend, Meryl Marshall-Daniels, is leading a writing group open to all. This is a simple and spacious writing circle for people who want time to listen inwardly and put words on the page without overthinking, performing, or polishing. Meryl offers a prompt designed to invite reflection, imagination, and attunement to what is already alive within you. The practice honors writing as a way of listening, of letting images, memories, questions, and insights surface in their own time. Learn more here.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.