I don’t remember what the trigger was, but suddenly a thought occurred to me and it stuck: Alpha is the difference between ‘prying’ and ‘praying’. Take a look – it’s right there, or not, and makes all the difference.

Alpha is the Greek name for the letter A. It is also one of the names of Christ (Alpha & Omega, beginning and end).

Some, when they learn of troubles, will ask and dig, also known as ‘pry’. Sometimes it’s for juicy gossip, a silent taste of revenge, or an honest seeking for a way to understand and be helpful. In my years, I’ve been guilty of all counts at one time or other. Wise people will quickly realize that the best help they can offer is to bring the matter to the One who already knows all the details and how to weave everything together for a good result. This verb is ‘pray’.

The relationship between yourself and the person(s) in a situation will of course dictate where the line of ‘prying’ is – closer relationships by nature come with higher quantities of more intimate information. As a matter of fact, most of the details will already be known by close friends. But no matter how close or distant the relationship, you can always be a representative of the person or problem in the throne room of Heaven.

The next time you’re tempted to pry, add the Alpha…prAy.