Praying for Others

This story by an unknown is too good for me not to share. It points out that what we do for others is more important
than what we do for ourselves.
Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She
approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.
She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work. They had seven children and they needed
food.
John Longhouse, the grocer, scoƯed at Louise and requested that she leave his store. Visualizing the family needs,
she said, “Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.” John told her he could not give her credit, as
she did not have a charge account at his store.
Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer
walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever Louise needed for her family.
The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, “Do you have a grocery list?” Louise replied, “Yes, sir.” “Okay”, he
said. “Put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in
groceries.”
Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head. Then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and
scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.
The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scale went down and stayed down. The
grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, “I can’t believe it.”
The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scale. The scale did not
balance, so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocer
stood there in utter disgust.
Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with great amazement. It was not a grocery
list. It was instead a prayer which said, “Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.”
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left
the store. The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said, “It was worth every penny of it.”
It was sometime later that the grocer discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a
prayer weighs. And nothing will be impossible with God.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God. Philippians 4:6
Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be
granted you. Mark 11:24
Why does God want us to pray for others? Because praying for others reflects God’s own character of outgoing love
and mercy. Praying for others is an unselfish expression of love. God wants us to think like He does, and praying for
others helps us to think beyond ourselves and to grow in compassion for others.
Whenever we intercede for others, we stand in the gap between them and God. We are the conduit through which
God flows to reach the person He has laid on our hearts to pray for. Mention them by name and pray for the needs
they have. Then pray for your personal prayer requests. Remember Prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue. How
many friends would we have if we did all the talking? Listen…Talk… and Listen some more.
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. With
obedience come blessings. My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered. Be blessed.
Blessings, Ben