The passage we are going to study on Sunday is a practical guide to effective prayer but it is more than that...it is a description of the way things get done in the Kingdom and the way life could really work.  In Matthew 7:1-12 Jesus is teaching us how to live and love in community and honor God.  Learning how good life in the Kingdom can be will make us want to share this with others.  The problem is our bent.  Our bent is toward self-righteous attitudes.  Self-righteous behavior always ends up condemning and where condemnation doesn't work, we often think manipulation with words or deeds is sure to help!  Jesus has a better way.  The way of the Kingdom is the power of the request.  Ask.  Seek.  Knock.  This is the approach we should take with others and with God at the same time.  If we are trying to help someone live in the Kingdom, we should ask God for help and appeal to the person we are trying to reach with questions rather than commands and condemnation.  Seeking and knocking may be required but the extra initiative is the way of God not the way of man.  God seldom (if ever) forces Himself, He is almost shy at times.  He asks us to come to Him but He doesn't drag us.  He asks us to draw near but doesn't put us in a death grip!  Being like God to others means demonstrating His nature.  He will actually let us say "no."  Imagine that!  The God who holds the physical matter of the universe as dust in His hand, will let us say no!  Are we prepared to do the same with others?  The forceful people among us often even say..."I will not take no for an answer..."  In most cases, that is not a very Kingdom like attitude.  Being an apprentice of Jesus is filled with "ifs".  Jesus will let us walk away but He would much rather have us follow and take His advice.  Respecting an image bearer's capacity and appetite and honoring the power of the request are important life skills for Kingdom work.  Just think about it, would you rather have someone condemn you and then tell you what to do or bless you and make a request with the genuine freedom to say no?  "Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them for this is the Law and Prophets."