I am Like James and John

(A prayer by poet Robert Raines, author of A Faithing Oak)

I am like James and John
Lord, I size up other people
in terms of what they can do for me;
how they can further my program,
feed my ego,
satisfy my needs,
give me strategic advantage.

I exploit people,
ostensibly for your sake,
but really for my own sake.

Lord, I turn to you
to get the inside track
and obtain special favors,
your direction for my schemes,
your power for my projects,
your sanction for my ambitions,
your blank checks for whatever I want.

I am like James and John.