I learned (or maybe just thought of) something new this week.

Let me start by saying I'm not trying to proudly display my religious zeal. I'm not trying to appear holier than thou because I pray in the streets without fear so I'm a better Christian than you! What I'm trying to do is not hide my light under a bushel. <--That will make more sense at the end :-)

I was at the grocery store and met someone new. She told me her neck had been hurting and I responded with how my back has been hurting. This woman seemed very nice and like the type who would pray for you right there in the moment. So immediately after telling her my back had been hurting I thought "Oh no, what if she wants to pray for me right here in the aisle?!" For reference we in one aisle on either side of it basically blocking passage through the aisle. Eventually I moved to her side of the aisle, but we were still blocking access to the bottled water as we talked. It was also a very busy day with many people around us. So anyway, I panic hoping she won't want to pray for me right there in front of everyone, then I immediately follow up that thought with, "Oh, maybe I should ask to pray for her right now." So then I didn't care if we were praying in the middle of the aisle. She changed the subject and I thought, "Whew, she didn't try to pray for me." Now feeling relieved.

So in the span of like 60 seconds I felt fear and embarrassment about two people praying in the grocery store, then nonchalant and determined to pray to God, then relieved that we weren't going to pray in front of others. That was interesting.

It wasn't until later that night when my back was hurting that I remembered her neck and said a prayer in my home alone. Then I reflected on the encounter and wondered, would I have prayed in grocery store?

First and foremost I know I would've insisted that we move to an area where we weren't blocking people from access to products. But...imagine you are at the grocery store, and there by one of the temporary displays put up between the cold cuts wall and dry food aisles you see two people, heads bowed, palms open, praying out loud. I have never seen that before. Maybe if there was an incident, like someone was having a heart attack and managers were around and EMS was there, then maybe there might be one person there also praying over the body on the floor. But never in a safe situation have I seen someone praying in the grocery store.

Two days later it occurred to me that we could just go the restroom for more privacy to pray. And I think if it was a prayer about private parts or undesireable addictions (I won't get specific), then sure going to a private space like the restroom or someone's car makes sense. But what about back pain or neck pain? Or fear of an upcoming exam? Maybe the hope to get that house they put an offer on. Why should we need to seclude ourselves for that?

Imagine that we lived in a fully Christian world. We would see prayer ALL the time! Both people praying for each other, and people just talking to God. When we saw someone having a conversation with seemingly no one, we wouldn't think, "they must be hallucinating", we would think, "they're talking to God".

The only reason I can think of to hide, is because by praying publicly like that, in a secular place, we might "offend" someone who is not Christian. Because we're not blocking the aisle, we're not blocking access to products, we're not talking about private parts or more adult themed things that a passing child should not hear...and I'm not talking about Holy Spirit EMPOWERMENT convulsing on the floor prayer. I mean just a simple, "Heavenly Father, please lay your hands on Ashley's back and heal whatever it is that is causing pain. Whether it be the bones, the muscles, maybe she pulled something, Lord you know what is wrong and we just ask that you please give her swift healing. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen." Simple. Why can't we do that? Why don't we do that? Granted that simple prayer may still leave me convulsing on the floor..who knows what God will do? LOL But still, why would I...am I allowing the potential offense of some stranger to prevent me from trying to help my sister in Christ?

Thankfully I am still in contact with this woman, but what if that was it, we made some small talk and went our separate ways? I missed out on a chance to be of service to a fellow believer. Maybe God specifically put us in each others' path to pray over each other for healing. But my concern for the opinions of others got in the way.

And then I thought, what if I was the passerby witnessing two other people praying? Would I jump in? Again, in a fully Christian world, not only would I jump in, but likely the whole store would drop what they were doing and lay hands on those two people. Sure there's a chance that these two might be offended that I joined in their prayer uninvited, but I would rather jump in and raise more voices to God on their behalf, then stay away out of fear. Which God did not give us by the way. Also they're praying publicly in a grocery store so I feel they should expect jump-ins LOL.

I've decided: I want to be someone who if you tell me you need prayer, instead of saying that I will say a prayer for you "tonight", I will just move out of the way of others, and pray for you right then and there. No matter who is around to see it. Unless of course it's inappropriate or you specifically don't want people to know you're afraid of the upcoming exam. No...I take that back...I will pray in that moment anyway, just not out loud. So people would still see us with our heads bowed and palms open.

LET ME CLEAR!!!!!!!!!

I know the Bible talks about going into your upper room and praying in secret. So let me just be clear that this isn't something I want to do in order to draw attention to us, or to shove our religion into the faces of non-Christians. What I'm talking about is praying despite the fear of being judged for it. Solomon tells us that there is a time and a place for everything, so use discerment; is this a prayer that you should say alone in your home? Or one that the two of you should say now, but go to the restroom/car/less public place? Or is this something that you can just pray about in aisle real quick without feeling any shame for doing it? That's what I'm getting at. I'm not trying to proudly display my religious zeal. I'm not trying to appear holier than thou because I pray in the streets without fear so I'm a better Christian than you! What I'm trying to do is not put my light under a bushel.

If we hadn't exchanged numbers, if it was just a one-off interaction, I would've loved to say, "do you mind if I pray for neck really quick?" Then step off to the side, out of the way, and just say a prayer. The end. No big deal. I would love to see people praying more outside of the church. Just in the streets. More than just wearing a cross necklace to show who I belong to.

Well...do what you will with that. I'm going to try to not be so embarrassed or afraid.

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