Prayer is a test of the sincerity of our purpose.
Children's Story★★★★Illustration 16. Prayer is a test of the sincerity of our purpose. We have no right to pray unless we are willing to do our share in the answering of the petitions we make. A little boy entered his father’s study one morning with some money in his hand, counting it.
His father said, ““What are you going to do with all that money, my little man?” The boy said, “Oh, I am going to spend this at the Fair today.” His father said, “You better put part of that money in the missionary bank.” He shook his head vigorously and said, “No, I need all of that money for the Fair.”
His father said, “Well, all right. Let’s say our morn- ing prayer and go down to breakfast.” The little boy had two banks, one in which he placed his missionary money, one in which he placed the money that was for his own use. It was his custom to pray for the missionaries and the children on the other side of the world.
This morning, however, his father noticed that this part of the prayer was omitted. He called his son’s attention to this omission. He was very indignant at the interruption and exclaimed, “Now look here, papa, who is saying this prayer, anyhow?” His father re- THE BIBLE SCHOOL LESSON 85 plied, “It is your prayer all right but I do not think that you ought to omit the missionaries and the children on the other side of the world from your prayer.”
“Now, papa, I need all that money for the Fair.” “Why, I haven’t said anything about the Fair. I simply said that I do not think you ought to omit the missionaries and the children far away from your prayer.” After a moment’s struggle the boy began his prayer again and prayed as he was accustomed to, “Oh, bless the missionaries and the children on the other side of the world.”
When he stood up after praying he said to his father, “I guess I better put some of this money in my missionary bank.” His tender conscience told him that he could not very well ask God to bless the missionaries and the children unless he did what he could himself to bless them.
The point
A young boy learns that sincere prayer requires corresponding action; when his father points out he has omitted praying for missionaries while refusing to give to them, his conscience prompts him to contribute.