Prayer-A Parable | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 9, 1882

Prayer—A Parable.

Hillel had a wise disciple whose name was Maimon. In natural gifts he greatly delighted. But soon Hillel perceived that his youthful friend trusted too much in his own wisdom, and wholly discarded the aid of prayer. The youth said in his heart, "Why should we pray? Does the Almighty need our words in order to aid and bless us? Then he is human. Can man's sighs and petitions change the counsels of the eternal? Will not the All-merciful of himself bestow what is good and needful?" Such were the young man's thoughts. But Hillel was grieved in his soul that Maimon considered himself wiser than the divine word, and he determined to reprove him. One day when Maimon went to Hillel, he found him sitting in his garden, leaning his head upon his hand, and he said, "Master, where are thy thoughts?" Then Hillel raised his head and answered in these words, "I have a friend who lives upon the produce of his lands, which until now he has cultivated with care, and he has been richly rewarded for his pains. But now he has thrown aside plough and mattock, and no more cultivates his field. Thus he will soon come to poverty, and lack the necessaries of life."

"Has a spirit of ill-humor seized him or has he become a fool?" asked the youth.

"Neither," answered Hillel; "he is well skilled in all human and sacred wisdom. But he says the Lord is almighty, so that he can easily supply my wants without my bending my head to labor. He is good, so that he will open his kind hand to bless my table. And how can it be contradicted?"

"How!" said the youth; "is it not tempting the Lord God? Hast thou not told him so, master?"

Then Hillel smiled and said, "I will do so now. Thou, my beloved Maimon, art the friend of whom I spake."

"I!" said the youth in amazement.

"Ay," said the old man; "dost thou not tempt the Lord? Is prayer less than labor? and are spiritual gifts less than the fruits of the field? And is he who commands thee to labor for earthly goods other than he who bids thee to raise thy heart to heaven to implore heavenly blessings? O my son, be humble and pray!"

So spake Hillel, and Maimon went away to pray, and henceforth his life was a godly one.