It was in a time of great famine that a poor widow, who lived in a lonely hut in the woods, found herself one day without bread to give to her children. Besides, she was ill, and without friends or help. But she knew Him who is a friend of the poor, so she knelt down to pray. She prayed long and earnestly, for she knew that He who fed the birds would not forsake her.
While she was kneeling, her little girl, on opening the door of the hut, saw something sparkle on the door sill. She saw that it was a new piece of silver money, and carried it in haste to her mother. Who had put that money there? They could see on the road no living creature; they heard no sound of a carriage. Where did it come from? Had God put it there for the desolate mother? Without doubt, it had come from Him, but it was not placed there by an angel, nor did it fall from the sky. God, in many ways, my dear children, answers our prayers without sending heavenly messengers. His hand can touch a little spring in the wheels of the universe without changing in the least, its laws, and help comes where it is asked for. Like the poor widow, we do not always see exactly which way this mysterious help comes, and it seems to us then to come directly from above. The preservation of each of us from the cradle is just as directly the work of God, although He uses so many different people to obtain this result that we often forget the unseen Benefactor, and see only those who are under our eyes.
But how could the silver piece have come there?
This is what happened: A young man, on his way to a neighboring town, was walking, in spite of the remonstrances of his friends who wanted him to take the train.
While he was crossing the woods, a voice raised in supplication was heard coming from a hut on the roadside, and arrested his attention. He went in the direction of the sound on tiptoe, and heard distinctly the widow’s prayer. He understood that she was poor, ill, and without friends, and was pouring out her heart to God.
“What can I do to assist tins poor woman?” wondered the young man. He out his hand in his pocket and brought out a silver piece of money. It was a large sum for him to give, but in a generous impulse, he thought of the poor widow who needed it more than he. He placed the money on the door sill so that it would attract attention when the door was opened, then hid himself, waiting to see what would happen. Before long, the man saw the little girl come out and pick up the money, and with a light heart he went on his way.
Had not the money come from God to relieve the poor widow, and was he not the messenger sent to help her? This is the way God acts, and chooses His instruments to carry out His will.
When we go about, seemingly busy with our own affairs, it often happens that, without being aware of it, we carry out God’s plan, and perhaps awer the prayers of His children, witut knowing it.
ML 11/26/1944