in kind

In 2 Samuel 22, David writes a song of thanksgiving to God. Part of that song, in verses 26 and 27, says this: “‘To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
to the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.’”

David suggests that God will respond to us as we come to him. Faithfulness and blamelessness and purity will result in God showing us all his love and grace and providence. But any attempts at conniving and manipulation and taking advantage will be thwarted, because no one can be craftier that God. Sooner or later, the devious will be outwitted by God. All of us, the faithful and unfaithful alike, will receive from God what we deserve.

This is immensely reassuring, because so often it seems that the wicked get away with their wickedness. But it’s a sobering reminder too: I can’t fool God. I can’t claim to be faithful and not be. That’s being devious. It would be very easy to become one of those that God treats with shrewdness.

One of the most important things for me to remember is to be open and transparent in my relationship with God, because he knows anyway. When I’m tempted to sin, or deliberately plan to sin, or just don’t want to be bothered with Godliness on a certain day, the best thing I can do is tell God so. I can’t deceive him, and I can’t hide things from him, so there’s nothing to lose by discussing it all with him.

It’s a kind of prayer I’m not used to, but it seems more honest.