I've always enjoyed one litany sometimes used in our church where everyone present prays for everyone else in spiritual error. I am sure that each person is thinking of someone ELSE who is in error when they pray that, not themselves; but the net effect is that everyone there is praying for the better thinking (or "better heart") of everyone else there, and IMO that is always a good prayer!

Similarly, we often use an old song based on a spiritual, "Standing in the need of prayer," which is for "not my brother not my sister, but it's me, Oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer." It goes on to list all the other people usually seen as wrong, reminding the singer that it's not those people who are the rock in the shoe, but ourselves, standing in the need of prayer (forgiveness).

Mississippi John Hurt understood all this better than I think we do:

If you don't love your [insert relationship], don't spread [him/her] name abroad,
Blessed be the Name of the Lord.
Just hold [her/him] in your bosom, and carry [him/her] home to God,
Blessed be the Name of the Lord.


Verses name all the people/roles in the typical church body. Who HERE gonna pick on MJH?!?!?!


Another line from a song based on a spiritual-- a floating verse:

You can talk about me just as much as you please,
Jes' long as you talk about me down on your knees.

~Susan