A Cub Scout's Father

A CUB SCOUT'S FATHER

Gilbert was an eight year old in Cub Scouts. Each member of the club had to build a wooden car. It could only be 20cm long. Everyone was given a block of wood, some wheels and some instructions.

Gilbert didn't have a dad to help him. So mum read the instructions and Gilbert built it all by himself. On the day of the race it was obvious that all the other kids had help from dad, or grand-dad or an uncle, or an older brother. A few of the boys giggled as they looked at Gilbert's lopsided, wobbly, unattractive vehicle. To add to the humility, Gilbert was the only boy without a man at his side--he had mum.

Races were done in an elimination fashion. You kept racing as long as you were the winner. One by one the cars raced down the ramp. Finally it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, fastest looking car there.

Just before the race Gilbert asked if he could pray. He stopped for a whole minute. After that he looked up, "I'm ready."

Tommy's car was fast but everyone was amazed that Gilbert's wobbly car rushed over the finish line a fraction of a second quicker. The Scout Master came up to Gilbert with microphone in hand and asked the obvious question, "So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?"

To which Gilbert replied, "Oh, no sir. That wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked Him to make it so I wouldn't cry when I lost."

Gilbert had a tough life. And he didn't want God to be against others. All he did was make sure he was in a right relationship. Everyone else had their father ... Gilbert had his heavenly Father.

Which brings us to the question we all need to answer.

What do you do when life gets difficult?

(From a sermon by Allan Quak, Elihus Answer - Job you are a hypocrite, 8/12/2011)