I’ve heard it said that praying for someone is the best thing you can do for them. indeed it is a good thing to do to pray for someone … but you know, even the bible tells us that sometimes we need something more. (James 2:14-16) … how easy is it to pray for someone? how amazing does it make you feel and look? but it’s not so easy to make an effort to alleviate someone’s loneliness. it’s not so easy to make sure they are travelling ok. it’s not so easy to hang in there with them when they are neck deep in shit (even if that shit is all their own doing). sometimes I think that we use prayer as a total cop out. and what we really mean to say when we say to someone that we will pray for them is: ‘you are a real bother to me and not who i want to be spending my time on or with. i have better things to do with my time, so i will tell you that i will pray for you, that i will lay hands on you and let you believe that i am such a holy and loving person when , in reality what i am doing is hiding behind my pretentious lies so that i can clear my conscience and pretend that i have met my obligation to you and to God and carry on with the facade of being committed to love and to faith … that way, i don’t have to do anything or spend time with you’ … but you know what … those of you who use this line … you are as transparent as freshly produced clear glass … and your lies do nothing but highlight the fact that you care for no one but yourself … so your prayer (if you actually do pray) is of less value than if you didn’t pray at all … keep your prayers if you are not prepared to come close. they are worthless.