A voyaging ship was
wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim
to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do,
agree that they had no other recourse but to pray to God.
However, to find out
whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between
them and stay on opposite sides of the island.
The first thing they
prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree
on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's
parcel of land remained barren.
After a week, the
first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a life partner. The next day,
another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his
side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing. Soon the
first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all
of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man
prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the
morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man
boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the
island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since
none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about
to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you
leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are
mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man
answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve
anything."
"You are
mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I
answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."
"Tell me,"
the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him
anything?"
"He prayed that
all your prayers be answered."
----
For all we know, our
blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying
for us.
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