Bad guys are a hot topic in our house, usually because our boys love to pretend to be heroes. Rigel is a little different, though. He doesn’t just pretend to be a hero – he really wants to be a hero. He wants to be a police officer when he grows up, and he always talks about protecting his little sister, Eve.
A few days ago, on the way home from the library, he was talking very seriously about bad guys and what they could do to our family. I told Rigel he doesn’t need to worry about that as long as he listens to, and stays close to Mommy and Daddy. But, Rigel wasn’t convinced.
He sweetly asked, “Mom, can I say a prayer?”
He said it so sincerely, like he just knew praying would fix everything. I wish I had recorded this prayer of my sweet Rigel, as it made me tear up one minute and giggle the next, but it went something like this:
“Dear Heavenly Father, please bless my muscles to be strong as bricks. Help me to be stronger than Dad so I can protect Eve. Bless me to be strong enough to destroy a tornado. In the name of Jesus Christ – wait, I forgot something! Bless me to be fast as lightning, and stronger and more powerful than anyone in the whole world. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.”
As he closed his prayer, he very confidently said, “See mom? Now I can protect everyone in the whole world.”
Even now, I feel the perfect faith of my almost six-year-old son. He truly believes with all of his heart that if he prays hard enough, he can do what he wants to do most – protect people.
Last year I asked him what his favorite characteristic of Jesus was, and he said that He healed people. My boy will be a protector and a healer of the weak and innocent. I just know it.
Will he have muscles as strong as bricks and the ability to destroy a tornado? I don’t know, but I do believe this scripture:
…for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (Matthew 17:20).
I learn from the faith of my children every day. I am grateful that my Rigel knows that if he has a righteous desire, he can pray to his Heavenly Father for guidance and strength.