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, in a pride-filled moment, they wanted to find out whose prayer was more powerful and thus agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first man prayed for food. The next morning, he found 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 his wife and he 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 wouldn’t have received any 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.”

In thinking about this story, I’m reminded of Jesus’ words:

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Jesus Christ sacrificed all material wants and loves to devote himself exclusively to blessing humanity spiritually. Many people think God answers prayers through money and things, but this is not necessarily true. Jesus did not promise us large amounts of consumer items. He promised us eternal life. But when outward trappings of success do come our way, how vital it is we don’t let the thieves of ingratitude, selfishness and self-righteousness turn our back on the spiritual source that frees us from lack in the first place.

We owe our all to God no matter what form it takes, never to ourselves.