As
the story goes, 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, agreed 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 wife. 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.
By Tim Pedrosa
One of the major problems in our world today is that so many people only
seem to care about themselves. It gets harder and more difficult to find
people who actually care about others.
A
true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.
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Tim
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