Prayer for Right Disposition toward Others
Dear Lord,
Take out of our hearts all bitterness, hatred, and even indifference, unconcern, as it respects others. Help us to feel kindly toward others, to be sincerely interested in their welfare and happiness. The Lord Jesus was interested in everybody, wanted to help everybody, felt kindly toward everybody. There was never any bitterness, or hatred, or indifference toward those he was daily thrown in contact. Love, true love, unselfish love, love that suffered long and is kind, was ever to be the front, was actively in evidence. Grant that it may also be true of all of us in our relations and contact with others. It is his beautiful spirit that we catch, and carry with us all through life.
-Francis J. Grimke (1850-1937)
Stray Thoughts and Meditations vol. 3
As printed in A Book of Reformed Prayers by Howard L. Rice, editor
Note: Francis James Grimke was an American Presbyterian minister in Washington, DC. He was regarded for more than half a century as one of the leading African-American clergy of his era and was prominent in working for equal rights.