One simple question. It's not a question that most people would often ask; matter of fact, many Christians would shy away from asking this question, but it set the tone for my Lectio Divina today. The question is "How may I pray for you?" Not can I pray for you, not would you like prayer? Make a decision to be present and intentional. "How may I pray for you?"
Lectio: 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant;
Meditatio: Love is kind; But what does that mean? Yesterday I had the opportunity to show that love is kind. I was walking into the local Big Lots. I passed by these two people sitting on the side walk; as I passed by some man (who I later found out was one of the street ministers) walked by and said "Get a job!" I walked on into the Big Lots and made my purchase. When I came out the two were still sitting on the sidewalk. I had two Hamburgers and an order of fries in my car and I walked over to the people and handed them the food and said "How may I pray for you all today?" The man and woman were overcome with happiness and said "we can't pay you back." And the man who had told them to get a job was standing not to far away, and I said "My Bible says that "whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done to me." It also says "I was hungry and you gave me food to eat." The young woman looked at me and said "We don't know why we are physically hungry and what we did to get to this point, but we got God, we just need understanding as to why were are in this place in our lives. Can you pray for that?" I agreed. I spoke about this on Facebook after it happened, I didn't mention the food nor the street preacher. A Christian in my community said "well why didn't you buy them some food?" My cousin who holds to various religious beliefs and believes we are to blame for everything told me that "asking to pray for someone was an imposing stance and he was surprised they [the homeless] didn't offer to pray for me. I think it's imperative that we hear exactly what Paul is saying in this verse: Love is kind. Richard Pratt(1) in his commentary on Corinthians says "Kindness takes many forms. In general, it is soft and gentle."
Oratio: Father, I humbly come before your throne, I come asking that you provide answers to the needs of our country. Today, I got to witness two people searching for answers about their life circumstances. I ask that you provide them with those answers and that those answers lead only to You and where these young people need to be. God, help us to be kind people. Help us to show love and to be the people you need us to be so that your will is fulfilled. In Jesus' Name, Amen
Contemplatio: How are you showing love to people in kind ways? As Richard Pratt says Kindness takes many forms. In general, it is soft and gentle. Occasionally, however, kindness must take the form of a careful rebuke designed to bring about a good result. Paul demonstrated this as he dealt kindly, but firmly, with the Corinthians. Jesus’ own life demonstrated such kindness (Luke 13:15–17). Are you showing people that love can be kind even when you have to rebuke some one over something?
(1) Richard L. Pratt Jr, I & II Corinthians, vol. 7, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 230.
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