Do all people matter to you? Better question, do any people matter to you? Of course some people matter to you, but we don’t often live like they matter. If they did matter, wouldn’t we pray more for them? Then why don’t we pray for them on a regular basis?

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people….” (1 Timothy 2:1 ESV)

Here’s a difficult statement to swallow: all people matter enough to be prayed for. The Bible is talking genuine, get into a quiet place, type of prayer.

This is the genuine type of prayer that reveals whether or not you are filled with love for God’s people. Paul, who wrote this, believes that Christ followers should be praying for all people genuinely, when they don’t have to, when they have other things to do, when it is a lot easier praying for other things and for yourself.

This passage continues to say that we should pay particular concern in our prayers for those who seem unworthy of our prayers, they too, warrant our attention and genuine prayers.

All of that being said, we need to pray that the love and grace of Jesus Christ fill all people. All people need the love of God and we need to pray they choose to accept that love. We need to pray that their lives be filled with that love.

We need to pray that they embody that love. We need to pray with that love.

Your greatest work of faith for me and you is to genuinely pray for all people– the people you interact with; the people you pass by on the street; the people whose views you disagree with; ALL people in and around your life and then some.

Let’s walk with Jesus with an posture of prayer, ready to pray for everyone.