“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9, NIV).

My patient has just retired, and I was curious how he was handling it.

“It’s been great,” he said and then added a caveat. “You know I was car-jacked?”

“No way,” I said. “Where were you?”

“I was in my driveway. Man came with a gun and stole my Mercedes.”

He paused, then continued. “My church got behind me, but I asked them to pray for the man who stole it instead of me.”

“Did you ever find your car?”

“Yes, it’s down in the impound lot with no damage. In fact, after we started praying for the thief, he returned all my IDs and credit cards. Found them one morning laying in the front yard.”

Do you pray for the thieves in your life?

Do you pray for your arrogant supervisor or CEO?

Do you pray for the teenager who is constantly bullying your daughter (or granddaughter) at school?

Do you pray for the politician on the other side who is motivated by power or greed?

Do you pray for the partner who focuses on money and has more than you?

Do you pray for the abortionist, or the doctor who openly jokes about his disabled patients, or the one who does but half her job and leaves the rest to you?

Do you pray for the patient who sues you?

Do you pray for the thieves who steal your peace?

Paul insisted: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8b, NIV).

Praying for those who steal our peace is so much less than dying for them.

I had a chief of medicine once who ignited me with anger every day. I intensely disliked him and was tight as a spring whenever I was near him. One night I awakened with the realization that I should be praying for him and showing him the love of God. I changed, and he changed.

Francois Fenelon wrote, a few centuries ago, “To be a Christian is to be an Imitator of Christ.”

Dear God,
There are people in my life whom I do not like. Please bless them and use me as part of that blessing.
Amen