A Five-Year-Old’s Story
Folks in this small Appalachian mining community would comment that the high spired Lutheran church was perched just at the “top of town” as appropriate for a house of worship in this mountainous area. It was in this environment that little Debbie first attended and grew to love this church. Her grandmother’s house was just a few doors away so after church visits, hugs, and the aroma of home baked treats were added bonuses on Sunday mornings.
Today’s Sunday school lesson though seemed a bit odd, even through this five-year old’s youthful innocence. Debbie was thinking to herself…. my teacher has just told me that if somebody would hurt me or do something bad to me, I should not try to hurt them or get even. Instead, I should pray for them? Really? She was a little confounded.
A few days later, a storm blew through and a huge mud puddle formed in the street in front of Debbie’s house. While playing outside, an older boy from further down the road waved for Debbie to draw near the puddle. She had heard adults speak critically and disapprovingly of the boy’s behavior and words like those in this small town tended to stick.
Nevertheless, she trustingly approached the twelve-year-old. Seconds later, she was pushed face first into the mud puddle. He took off running. She emerged soaking wet with minor cuts and scrapes, but worse yet, with hurt feelings and perplexing questions.
After her mother had gotten her cleaned up and into dry clothes, the five-year-old sat alone in her bedroom thinking, “why did that have to happen to me?” and “why did that boy have to be so mean?” It was then that she remembered her Sunday school teacher’s message… she should pray for those who would try to hurt her or do something bad to her. With that thought in mind, she got down on her knees and prayed for the boy who pushed her into the puddle.
Months passed by. Then, Debbie saw that same boy approaching as he walked down the street. Upon seeing him, she began to run away when the boy shouted out, “No, no, I need to talk to you.” Debbie allowed him to catch up and then he said, “I just wanted to apologize for what I did the last time I met up with you. It was wrong and I am sorry. I’m not going to do anything like that again.”
What an Aha Moment! Prayer did change that troublemaker and a five-year-old felt the presence of God through a prayer answered. That Great Big God she learned about in Sunday school actually did hear and answer the prayer of this little wisp of a girl from such an out of the way place. So amazing! No prayer is too big or too small she thought. He hears them all wherever we are!
Sixty years have gone by since Deb had this experience, and she has continuously marveled at the power of prayer and the continuing presence of the Spirit first revealed to her as a child.