When I was in elementary school, no matter what was wrong with you, if you went to the nurse, she was going to prescribe one remedy, a glass of warm water. Upset stomach? Have a glass of warm water. Skinned your knee? Have a glass of warm water. Someone stab a rainbow brite pencil in your back? Have a glass of warm water. I get that she was probably handcuffed by state regulations but because she always said the same thing no matter what your problem was, her advice felt useless. The same thing happens in Christianity all the time. When someone tells you an issue they’re facing and your knee-jerk reaction is to tell them to pray more or read the bible more you just offered someone a glass of warm water. It’s not that prayer or the bible might not be the answer. That’s not what I am saying, but when you hide behind an automatic, “have you been reading your bible or praying” response, you come off as fake. Or at the bare minimum uninterested. You become like that boss that tells you every project is “ASAP.” Eventually, if everything is ASAP then nothing is really ASAP.
(Special thanks to Alex for reminding me this mo’ prayer thing happens)
