{"id":12811,"date":"2014-12-04T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2014-12-04T13:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/?p=12811"},"modified":"2026-06-29T17:04:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T21:04:37","slug":"authenticity-in-praying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/authenticity-in-praying.htm","title":{"rendered":"Teaching Prayer by Example Requires Authenticity"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Teach<\/a>
(Click image to enlarge in Pinterest & repin.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Who best to show us the potential of teaching prayer by example than Jesus!<\/p>\n

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say . . .” (Lk. 11:1-4)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

From Jesus we learn at least two factors involved in teaching prayer by example.<\/h2>\n
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  1. You need to be consistent in praying<\/a> for others to take notice that you pray.<\/li>\n
  2. You need to be available<\/a> to mentor or disciple people at teachable moments.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Learn more about the above factors by clicking on the links. Before delving into those aspects of Jesus’ practice, however, we need to first make sense out of praying for others to see us. Jesus Himself warned against that kind of praying.<\/p>\n

    And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matt. 6:5-6)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Yet, how will people know that you’re a person of prayer if they don’t see you praying? If they don’t see you consistently praying, how will your prayer life generate teachable moments?<\/p>\n

    Pay close attention to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6. Notice how He focused in on a person’s motivation. Jesus referred to those who love to pray in order to be seen by others … those who pray for show. If He called them hypocritical, then they obviously did something that lacked authenticity.<\/p>\n

    The Key to Teaching Prayer by Example: Authenticity<\/h2>\n

    Modeling prayer isn’t something you purposefully do to set yourself up as an example. Rather, it happens because of true devotion to prayer (Col. 4:2)<\/span>, because you really do pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17)<\/span>, because you actually are fervent or passionate about praying<\/a> (James 5:16)<\/span>. This kind of teaching can’t be contrived. An example in praying, prays to be heard by God, not to be an example in praying.<\/p>\n

    Others will take notice of an authentic prayer life, not because you try for them to see but because they can’t help but see. The disciples saw that Jesus made prayer a priority<\/a>. He set apart special times of communing with the Father. Jesus would also pray spontaneously. He raised prayers of praise and thanksgiving and He also interceded and petitioned God. We don’t read of Jesus saying “Look at me” yet the disciples did look. Prayer was so much a part of Jesus’ life that they noticed.<\/p>\n

    If you want to teach prayer by example, don’t focus on yourself. When we focus on being an example, we open the door for pride, hypocrisy, and faulty motivations. Pray because you want to commune with your heavenly Father. Do it because you want to work in cooperation with God. Pray because you want to trust the Lord to work in all situations. Go to God in prayer because you want to let Him know that you view Him as worthy of all honor and praise.<\/p>\n

    Pray because you want God to hear you, not to impress others. Being noticed by others for your prayer life is a byproduct that happens when you are authentic, leading to teachable moments as others observe your example.<\/p>\n

    For Personal Reflection:<\/strong> Do you love to pray or do you love to be seen praying?<\/p>\n

    For More:<\/strong>\u00a0Prayer Resources<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Who best to show us the potential of teaching prayer by example than Jesus! — One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, \u201cLord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.\u201d He said to them, \u201cWhen you pray, say . . .\u201d (Lk. 11:1-4)<\/p>\n

    From Jesus, we can learn at least two factors involved in teaching prayer by example. . . . Continue reading Teaching Prayer by Example Requires Authenticity<\/span>→<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prayer"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t