A few weeks ago our church had Compassion Sunday. A day that Compassion International uses to spread the word of their child sponsorship program to churches across America in hopes you will begin sponsorship of a needy third-world child.
We decided to sponsor two children. One boy and one girl. We ended up with them both being as old as my oldest (our boy). Leonardo and Natalia. We brought home the information packets and hung the photos of them on the fridge. My hubby told our kiddos to say a prayer for Leonardo and Natalia each night.
Now, skip to last night. My son has pink eye. His eye hurts, is red and irritated, kinda puffy. We took him to the Dr., wrestled 2 eye drops into him and put him to bed. We said goodnight and started to leave our son's room.
"Wait" our son called out, "can we pray?" Of course we said yes. I knew he wanted us to pray for his hurting eye. And I was ready... but not ready to hear, "We have to pray for Leonardo and Natalia." He then began to pray for them, and their needs, and that they would not get a pink hurting eye like him.
Not once did my son ask for God to ease his own discomfort, or take his infection away. Just completely, innocently prayed for the needs of others. Whoa. Back the cart up. Do I do that? Do I, can I, just pray for the needs of others when I myself and hurting, whiny, and uncomfortable? No. I don't. I usually whine to God about how I need his help or I will die. (I used to think some of the Bible was dramatic, but I should listen to my own outcries sometimes!!) I know myself though. I rarely, if ever completely concentrate my prayers on others when I am hurting - physically or emotionally. I can definitely honestly pray for you when I'm doing okay, but when I am hurting I am "me" centered. Ouch.
Taught a major lesson by my five year old. Hope I learned something that will stick with me through the course of time. I'd be better off if it did!
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