To find more short stories like this one, check out the eighty fables and parables found in Beatitales: 80 Fables about the Beatitudes for Children. Get your copy here.
A boy showed up at school one Monday morning with a small notepad and a pen in his back pocket. This was a very special note pad. On the front, he wrote the words “Prayer Pad.”
Just the day before he had heard the pastor of his church talk about the power of prayer. He came home and found an old notepad in his room and decided he would use it to keep track of his prayers.
So, all day on Monday he went around asking the other kids what he could pray about for them. Most of the kids laughed or said something superficial like “pray that I win a million dollars.” Some of them asked for series prayers for their old dogs or sick relatives.
At recess the boy saw a girl sitting all alone on the sidewalk. He had never spoken with her much. Most kids thought she was strange and she didn’t have many friends. The boy realized this was a perfect opportunity for prayer. He went over to the sidewalk and sat down next to her.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” said the girl with her head still staring down in the ground.
“How are you doing?” he said.
The girl looked over to the boy and said nothing.
“Listen, I know we don’t talk much, but it looks like you’re having a rough day,” said the boy. “Is there anything I can pray about for you?”
The girl looked surprised and tears started to slide down her cheeks.
“Hey I’m sorry. I mean it. I really do want to pray for you,” said the boy.
“It’s my grandpa,” she finally said. “He died last night. I didn’t have anyone to tell about it.”
The boy felt awful for the girl. He got out his notepad and pen and wrote down a reminder to pray for the girl and her grandpa.
“There,” he said. “Consider yourself supported through prayer. Can I stay here and sit with you? You don’t have to talk or anything but it looks like you need a friend.”
The girl nodded. The boy sat down beside her.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
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