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. These men were usually very competitive so tote find out whose prayer was answered, 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 the morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat it’s fruit. The other man parcel of the land remained barren. The first man decide not to check on the other survivor and enjoy his food.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decide to pray for a companion. The next day he found a dog wandering the beach. The dog survived the same shipwreck from inside his doggy crate. The first man romped and played with the dog all day. The man decided not to check on the other survivor. He was too tired from playing with the dog and he wasn’t lonely anymore. Still nothing happened on the other side of the island. Soon the first man prayed for shelter, clothes, and more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. The first man deiced to leave the other guy alone. He was clothed, well fed, a roof over his head and not lonely, so why bother with the other man.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his dog 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 dog and decided to leave the second man on the island. The other mans prayers must not have been answered or he would have been there too. He would just have to miss the boat. Oh well, my dog and I are safe now, who cares? 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 answerd. “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 recieved any of my blessings.”
“Tell me,” the first man asked th 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 the fruit of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us.
