James 2 Personified

I was going through the produce aisle at Kroger in a mart-cart, when suddenly a scary man blocks my cart and announces, “Sir, the Lord just told me he wants me to pray for restoration of your ability to walk.”
“I’m in this because I have a bad heart.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“A genetic disorder called Marfan syndr–”
“What’s your name?”
“John,” I said, sheepsihly.
Then he starts into his Pentecostal “Lord we just wanna .. . . “

And I really wasn’t in the mood to start practicing my Catholic apologetics in the produce aisle, or to point out that, if he were really hearing from the Lord, he would have gotten the facts right, or that I don’t believe in his false religion that calls Jesus a liar, etc.

I thought about saying that it’s my belief that God is insulted by our prayers that He change the way He made us.

And maybe we should give the guy credit for having the faith to that.

But it sure is a lot easier to say, “Sir, I’d like to pray for your healing” than it is to say ,”Sir, would you like help with your groceries?”