PRAYING OR PREYING

The English language contains many words which are pronounced the same but have very different meanings and spellings. Often one letter makes all the difference, changing the meaning of your statement. Words such as “too or two,” “wear or ware,” “bases or basis,” and “meet or meat” all fall into the homonym category. In this day of texting, acronyms and abbreviations, it seems we have become very lazy when it comes to proper English and Facebook is a prime example of our laziness.

I came across a request for prayer in a friend’s status update. It simply read, “Please continue to pray for my family.” To which I replied, “Praying in Jesus Name,” then took a moment to ask God to intercede on behalf of my friend’s family. Usually, I like to check back and see if there are any updates or praise reports on the request.

 Directly under my post was a post that read, “PREYING for you.” I’m sure the person had just misspelled a word or hit the wrong letter, but I began to ponder the difference that one letter made in the meaning of our statements.

To PRAY is defined as”making earnest petition or entreaty for,” however, if you change the “a” to an “e”, 

To PREY takes on the sinister definition “to seize, devour, to victimize another or others.” 

One word portrays a lovely vision of a fellow believer kneeling before the Throne of Grace delivering a petition of need for a loved one. The second word invokes the scene of a lion stalking a victim then crouching ready to strike at just the right moment. How many times have I confused the vowels; told a friend I was praying when in fact I was preying for them.

James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” 

We are not afraid to ask people to pray for us. In fact in my Pentecostal circle of friends, it is common place. We assure each other after every conversation that we are praying for them. If there is a loss, we are PRAYING. Illness, PRAYING; financial need, DEFINITELY PRAYING and hopefully, we mean it and follow through.

What do we do, however, when there is a need that includes “unsavory” details? What if someone trusted you enough to “confess their faults?” What if you read some “juicy” details on Facebook put 2 and 2 together and came up with 4? Would we fall to our knees and PRAY or would we run to the phone and PREY?

Too often, I fear we would whisper “God bless them” as we screamed, “Can you believe what I just heard?”

Dear God, help me to not get my vowels confused. When a friend confesses a “fault,” remind me to fall on my knees and PRAY rather than wait for just the right moment to PREY. I ask that you will help me to become the righteous person that has an effectual, fervent prayer life; one that knows how to intercede for my brother or sister in need. May I never be guilty of victimizing the weak but rather lead them to victory in Jesus.

Help me always to PRAY and never to PREY.