So, I was sitting with my wife, sister-in-law, nieces, and sister-in-law’s mother-in-law eating breakfast in downtown Grand Junction. The waitress brought me my lovely Santa Fe scramble with pablanos, onion, tomato, and cilantro. It looked delicious. I was about to take the delicious first bite when sister-in-law asks, “Do you want to pray?”
This has happened many times to me. Had you asked me this even just a couple of months ago I would have said, “Yes,” without any hesitation. However, my answer to my sister-in-law was quick and simple. I said to her, “No.” I think she thought I was joking and said that she would pray.
I was polite. I bowed my head and listened while she prayed. It was just fine.
But here is the reason that I said no. I’ve recently been thinking a lot about the unspoken rules that Christians live by that have nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus, some of them go in direct opposition to Jesus’ teachings.
One of the most glaring examples is the unspoken rule that Christians will pray unashamedly before every meal, even when they’re in public. I’ve heard some say that it is a good witness.
However, Jesus clearly teaches that a person should not pray in public so that others can see. Rather, Jesus says that one should go into his or her room and shut the door to pray.
In addition to that it just seems a bit silly. I pray in front of others, possibly make them uncomfortable, and call it my witness? Seems lazy and unnecessary. Instead I could be kind to my server, tip well, buy someone else's meal. Now those are some good works I could stand behind. But my suggestion is that we do prayer like Jesus suggested; in our rooms by ourselves, in secret.
So, if you go out to eat with me and ask me if I want to pray, my answer will be no.
Why would you pray where others can see it? I think a better witness would be handing money to a homeless person or showing love to a person who is without love.
What do you think about that?
