Article June 2, 2008 ISSUE

HELPING OTHERS HELP US

NATE TALBOT

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

AS A READER OF THIS COLUMN, you're likely to pray about challenges beyond your own needs: challenges such as environmental problems, economic issues, foreign affairs, legislative shortcomings, or judicial concerns. Your prayer can make a real difference.

But there is another way to nurture solutions. Besides praying about the problems, you might want to pray for those who are working, taking specific steps daily, to find and implement solutions. You may have felt the way government approaches big-time issues doesn't always inspire confidence. Indecision, wrong decisions, conflicting decisions—all may lead to frustration, even cynicism. But government isn't ultimately impersonal. It's made up of people. People like any of us. And we've heard these people invite our prayers for their guidance. Maybe we should take them up on their invitation more often.