A Man/Woman of Prayer
In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.(Psa 109:4)
I am willing to bet that everyone of us have experienced a situation where we extended a hand or act of friendship to someone who responded with hostility
There is a popular maxim that says “hurt people hurt people”. It describes the unfortunate reality of someone who is hurting, in the throws of pain will lash out and cause harm to even those who are trying to help them. Imagine how confused and fearful you have to be to not be able to recognize acts of love from are harmful actions?
Unfortunately, there are people around us that are so damaged, they are like a wounded animal, unable to discern friend from foe. It is not only their pain that will cause them to strike out against those trying to help, but fear, hate, bigotry, and many other isms.
As people of God, we are called to help each other and those in our community. It is a primary method of demonstrating the love of God to others. Many times though, that outstretched loving hand that we provide gets slapped and sometimes chopped off. David wrestled with this reality in his time and wrote a song about it in Psalm 109. In verse 4 and 5 of that chapter he petitioned God and remarked that in return for his friendship, they accused him. They repaid him evil for good, and hatred for his friendship. But David said, “I am a man of prayer”
Our natural reaction when we are accused in spite of our friendship is to pull back, to step away and say “it’s O.K, you will not receive my friendship anymore”. This reaction is an instinctive self defense mechanism. But there is another way to deal with situation like these. Be a man or woman of prayer.
Prayer is the armor that will protect you when this happens. Being a person of prayer while offering good to someone means their potentially hurtful response will not harm you. When you cover yourself in prayer, it really is an impenetrable cloak of defense. We do not neglect those who need us because of fear of negative reaction, instead we cover ourselves with prayer as we make our offer of Grace. The protective power of prayer allows you to continue to live out the command of Jesus Christ in the book of Luke "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(Luk 6:27-28)
Jesus was uniquely qualified to give this advise. After-all, He help so many people Jews and gentiles alike, and his friendship was repaid with accusation and evil. Jesus though was a man of prayer. Even while He was on the cross he was praying for those who were harming Him, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”.
Be a man/woman of prayer. Cover yourself with it, and proceed boldly to do good to others. If you constantly, consistently, unapologetically cover yourself in prayer, you will find you have strength not just for today to withstand the evil being repaid for your good
Very beautiful! I hope to be able to read more of these! ✝️