Jesus ridiculed those who pray in public.
But I think that’s exactly what we need to do.
I’m not a Jew. Many Jewish folks seem to think that adhering to the wording of the law but violating its spirit is fine. The classic example is you’re not allowed to do work, complete chores or use machines on the Sabbath. That means you’re not allowed to, say, turn your oven on. But if you turn the oven on the day before and leave it on, tada, you can use your oven and still be in the pink.
This is absurd. If there’s any law you want to adhere to the spirit of, it’s God’s.
So Jesus tells you not to pray in public. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pray in public.
Consider why he said it:
Folks who pray in public are performative hypocrites. They pray not because it enriches their soul and not because God wants it, but so other people can see how holy and righteous they are.
It’s simple power politics and status games.
However:
We Christians have lost this phase of the culture war.
Badly.
There are folks out there – trapped within their own perspective – who think no one these days is really Christian. It’s just a few tired old Boomers going through the motions, but they don’t really believe this stuff.
They, of course, are wrong.
And if they can’t imagine someone having genuinely different worldviews to them, they’re wrong about a lot.
It’s time we prove it.
Yesterday, I heard a story from Jeff Cavins about how he used to read his Bible in a coffee shop. He told a story of two women who stopped to ask him about it, one of which stayed for a while with him.
She later came to the faith and turned her life around.
We need more stories like this. I wear my cross around my neck, always visible except on the coldest days. That’s a start. It’s not enough.
When I read my Bible in public, it’s usually on my phone. Anyone watching me might think I’m scrolling mindlessly on social media, reading Marxist insanity or watching erotica.
I need to read a physical Bible in public.
That would help me too. It would mean carrying it with me everywhere and the online Bibles have a habit of losing my place. Somehow, the best bookmark on the planet remains made of cardboard, not binary code.
This plan will work much better if I’m not pathetic. A well-groomed chad reading a Bible on the train makes a better impression than some foolish wretch doing the same.
That shouldn’t stop any wretched fools. After all, the best way they can become chads is through careful study of the Word of God.
Then you supplement that with other training.
Other training like Your Story Isn’t About You.
Remember those pitiable losers who can’t imagine anyone thinking differently?
That’s not you, of course. You have empathy and imagination.
However…
If you sometimes find yourself surprised or confused by the actions of others, it’s time to sharpen both of those.
Yes, sharpen. They’re not innate traits – they’re skills you learn.
Here’s how to learn them like a pro: