Strength, Tools, and Wisdom

There were three men who were trying to make their way across a very wide and unruly river. All of these men were fervent believers in God. They trusted Him to provide them with what they needed and to bring them safely across the river. Each of them said a right and sincere prayer to Him and, sure enough, God came through for them.

The first man prayed that he would have the strength to fight the untamed waters and the relentless current of the river. God, of course, answered his prayer and, though he struggled for two long hours, he eventually made it across the river, his body completely intact and unscathed.

The second man prayed for strength, but also, for any tools that might facilitate his crossing. Again, God provided, as expected. This man discovered that there was a well-built kayak on the riverbank which none of them had seen before. It even contained a paddle, and he was able to use these tools to safely traverse the river. Moreover, he reached the other side in about 30 minutes and enjoyed a far less rigorous trip than had his predecessor.

Finally, the third man prayed not for strength nor for the right tools but merely for the intelligence and common sense that would be needed to make the safest and most efficient path to the other side. This request was actually a no-brainer for God. Without a second thought, he turned the man into a woman. The woman certainly didn’t have the strength given to the first man, and she wasn’t provided any additional tools such as those made available to the second man. She simply walked briskly up the riverbank–about fifty feet or so–and crossed the bridge. It was a pleasant and entirely stress-free journey of just over two minutes.