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, the second man had
nothing.
Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, and 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 on 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 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."
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please
authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances
dictate.
Thanks to Daren Bullock
http://www.youthpages.org
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