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, agree that they had no other choice but to pray to God.
However, to find out whose prayers were 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 land remained barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a woman. The next day, another ship was wrecked and the only survivor was a woman who swan to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.
Soon, the first man prayed for wood to build a house, remnants to make clothing and the tree to bear more fruit. The next day, like magic everything he prayed for was available.. However, the other side of the island was still bare just as it was when they first arrived.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship so that he and the woman could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked on his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with the woman and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy since none of his prayers had been answered.
Just as the ship was about to leave, the man heard God's voice thundering down from Heaven, "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 the man. "He had only one prayer which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."
"Oh yeah," the first man smugly remarked, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
MORAL: For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone but are those from another person praying for us. Remember this and always pray for others too!
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. --- James 5:16 (NLT)