Non Embellished Words

NON EMBELLISHED WORDS

Have you ever listened to people pray or talk, and afterwards wondered what they really said? Then at other times when we listen to a new Christian pray, we are touched and humbled by the simplicity and truthfulness of their prayers and thoughts about their walk with Christ.

The other evening a small group of nine people met in our living room, where we shared around some Scripture to sing and pray together. When we opened it for people to pray, a lady who is in the middle of a horrible divorce began praying something like this. “Lord, for years I haven’t been acting like you wanted me to. My life has been such a mess, but through these painful experiences you brought me to a fork in the road. I’m so glad now that I chose to take the right fork. Life is becoming so much better now that you are in my life.” Her prayer touched me deeply.

At a Men’s Supper on Thursday evening, a group of around 24 men were talking about “walking in the Spirit”. Some of us talked without specifics and stayed somewhat on the safe philosophical side of the subject, which makes it a little more difficult to understand and apply those thoughts to our own life. Then Dennis, a younger Christian spoke up and said, “Sometimes I do well and other times I don’t do well at all with this. For an example the other day I kicked the machine that wasn’t repaired like it should have been. I do much better on the days I read my Bible. On days I don’t read the Bible, I don’t do as well.” It was not hard to identify with and apply this young man’s thoughts to our walking in the Spirit, because he did not embellish his thoughts with religious lace.

Jesus taught us to speak and pray with all sincerity and get rid of our pious talking and praying. I liked how the Message bible paraphrased Jesus teaching in Matthew 5.

“You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace.
In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true.”
Matthew 5:34-37 MSG

Norman Peale tells the story of a rough character that came to his office one day. The man had a painful start to his life and had ended up (in the man’s own words) “feeling fed up and sick of the whole racket.” Norman told the man that only Jesus Christ can clean up all the hate, the money grabbing, sexual, heavy drinking pattern, and the unhappiness with life out of him. He told the man to get down on his knees and tell the Lord that he is sorry for all the rottenness in himself. Norman said the man fell to his knees and prayed like this.

“Lord, I’m a louse, but you know that without my telling you. I’m a no-account bum, and if I started telling You all the dirt I’ve done, You would not have the time to listen to anyone else, for You’re pretty busy. Besides, you know all about me anyway, so how could I fool you? But believe me God; I don’t want to fool you. I’m sick of the lousy way I live and think and act. I don’t want to be this way anymore. And that’s the truth, too, God. I gotta admit that even as I talk I’m holding back a few reservations, but please don’t let me be a phony. Help me to come clean as Dr Peale says. I can’t do anything about myself, so I put myself completely in your hands. Let your blood which fell from the cross, fall over me now. I’ve just got to be changed.”

Norman said the man stood up and said, “Gosh, I feel better. Strange, but that pent-up feeling is almost gone. I actually feel peaceful and sort of happy.” Norman checked up on the man some nine months later and his life was changing in a positive way for the better.

As I reflect on these stories of people whose words and prayers were not embellished with religious lace, I couldn’t help but think about Jesus story of the Pharisee and Publican in Luke 18. The Pharisee embellished his prayer, but the Publican pounded his chest and said, “God have mercy on me, I am such a sinner”! Jesus said the Publican met with God’s approval and the Pharisee did not. May God give us the humility to say it like it is, and to not embellish our words.

Al Yoder

2/4/2012