It is hard to model something before someone in hopes of teaching them a concept and to help them get the concept without mimicking during the attempt. I think about preaching with fellow 'preacher boys' in the early days. I took a preaching class or two in seminary and we would get up and preach on a passage. We were graded on how we handled the text, how we handled the audience, and how we handled ourselves. The flies on the wall either really had a good laugh or fell asleep. It is interesting to watch young preachers. Many have not learned much about public speaking. Most have not learn much about Scripture. Too many have learned idiosyncracies and habits from their favorite preacher. For the 'big time preacher' it is just the way they do it and they do it with success. For the 'little green preacher' it is just some bad habit that need not be picked up.
When I was in college, I would travel to churches on weekends and on spring break with other 'preacher boys' and we would do youth revivals and such. It was always quite interesting to watch my friends carve out their mannerisms in the pulpit. One time a fellow came with a pocketwatch. He was decked out. He had a tie pin, a collar bar, and that pocketwatch on a chain in the pocket of a vest he was wearing. Looked like Ben Franklin in a school play. He started into his introduction and reached down for that watch. His attempt was to detach it from the chain and place it on the pulpit like some great preacher that he had seen do it before. In his attempt to one hand the latch he was unsuccessful...and then again...and then again. He looked like he had a belly itch and he fought that watch and tried to keep his thoughts straight at the same time. He was fascinating to watch but not fun to listen to. As a fellow young preacher my thoughts went from 'hey, that's an idea' to "oh, he is going to take it off (what drama!)" to "Dude, get it loose." to "Dude, give it up." to "Dude, do you want me to get it." to "Hey, what are you doing?!" It was so bad we didn't even harrass him about it. I don't remember him wearing that watch again.
I think we do the same thing with the 'Lord's Prayer'. Jesus was trying to teach us how to pray and not just give us a prayer to mimic. Luke 11:1-Now Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread,[b] 4and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation." Jesus was teaching us not to be ritualistic in our prayers. It was instead steps in prayer.
Father, hallowed by your name. Acknowledge Who you are speaking to.
Your Kingdom Come. Put Him in His proper place. Remember prayer is not about getting your will done, but submitting yourself to His.
Give us....Petition Him for your needs.
forgive us...Receive cleansing from sin and forgive others at the time.
And lead us.... Find strength for the temptations you face.
It was not meant to be a prayer that we memorize and spit out in large public settings with great ritual. It was meant to be a teaching tool to teach us the concepts of true prayer. I have heard it better named the 'Disciples' Prayer' or the model prayer. He was teaching us a concept not a prayer to memorize and not His prayer to follow (Christ did not ask for forgiveness when he prayed.) It was for us to learn the parts of prayer and then with that knowledge begin to carve our own prayer life. Remember practice makes perfect. Pray daily. Not some repetitious ritual but real prayer.
I pray you are blessed while you do...and be careful with those pocket watches!
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