Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Matthew 6:9
One son held a grudge against a teacher. “Had I prayed with my son?” asked another teacher.
“Yes.”
“Had I prayed for him?”
“Yes.”
“Why wasn’t his attitude ‘fixed?'” she wondered. Maybe I hadn’t prayed enough.
“Had I encouraged another son who was shy?” asked a friend.
“Yes.”
“Perhaps he needs an incentive.”
“One morning, I offered a dime for every time he said ‘Hello.’ He declined.”
My friend wondered if there was another way to “fix” him.
I learned quickly I could not “fix” my sons. However, I felt guilty when I couldn’t, which probably meant deep down I thought I should.
It was decades later that I read The Lord’s Prayer by Thomas Watson. He begins by examining what it means for God to be our father.
God is the best Father in terms of Wisdom. He knows the fittest means to bring about his own design. … God is the best Father because he can Reform his children. God knows how to make his elect children better—he can change their hearts.
Thomas Watson, The Lord’s Prayer
Have you been expected to fix someone?
