"Thank God I'm Not Like You" (On Resisting A Bad Prayer)

Most of us know better than to pray the Pharisee's prayer, "Thank you, God, that I am not like this other person." Still, the prayer can be surprisingly tempting in, among other things, an election year. So our certainty that the prayer is not to be a wise one to pray is not always enough. It is worth our time to ask - and answer - the good question, "Why not?"

Here are 3 reasons (not exhaustive) to be wary of the prayer that begins, "Thank you that I am not like..."

• It might not be true
• It forgets our connectedness and interdependence
• It leaves no room for God's love of you (and the other) to be the most important thing about you, which is supposed to be the beginning of love without fear.

Where have you experienced the truth of any of these 3 observations? What would you add to the list? When have you known and lived out of God's ocean deep love for you and the other?