The Power of Asking

 This story is an excerpt from my new book, Led By a Child: Truths My Children Taught Me About God. The book is available in paperback, hardback, and e-book formats at Amazon.  

T

he Vaughan family, Dee, Linda, and three-year-old Elizabeth, attended a wedding rehearsal dinner for Eddie and Kim. After the meal, the tearful speeches and corny jokes, the bride and groom began distributing gifts to their wedding party. Elizabeth watched this with great interest and asked, “What are they doing, daddy?”  I explained, as best I could, that Eddie and Kim wanted to thank the people who would help them with their wedding the next day by giving them a gift. She pondered my answer but, apparently, didn’t find it totally satisfying.

     Nearing Elizabeth’s bedtime, Linda and I, with Elizabeth in my arms, made our way to the head table to thank the groom’s family for the wonderful meal and to tell the young couple that we’d see them the next day. Kim, who adored little Elizabeth, told her that she was very glad she could come to her rehearsal dinner. Elizabeth, still in my arms, leaned toward the bride as though she needed to whisper a secret to her. Though their faces were indeed close, my daughter didn’t whisper and what she said was anything but a secret. Elizabeth told the bride, “Sometimes little children like to get presents, too.”  I pulled Elizabeth back as though she’d tried to bite the bride and apologized for her comment. Kim laughed at Elizabeth’s words and didn’t forget them. The next morning, the day of her wedding, Kim showed up at our back door with a wrapped gift for Elizabeth.

     Jesus encouraged those who follow Him to ask for what we believe we need. 

     “Ask and it will be given to you:  seek and you will find; knock and the door will be     opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to        the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).  

     Children are often bold to ask, as my daughter was at the rehearsal dinner.  They may not have mastered every nuance of social etiquette, but they do have confidence to ask the grownups in their lives for what they need (and want).  Sadly, as many of us grow up, we lose our willingness to ask.  And in our silence our needs often go unmet.  May we reclaim the boldness that knows that asking one who loves you is a powerful way to change life for the better.