During the 1490's, two young friends, who were very poor, lived together and worked to support themselves, while they studied art. Advancement in the school of art was very slow because they spent most of their time working to keep food on the table, a roof over their heads and supplies for both of their art pursuits.

One day the two friends made an agreement together. They would draw lots and one of them would work to support both of them, while the other would study art. Then when the accomplished artist became wealthy, he would relieve the other friend so that the working man could also study art.

The lots were drawn. Albrecht Durer won. He soon went off to the big cities of Europe to study art ,while Franz Knigstein labored to support them both. In time Albrecht became famous for his talented, creative work. His paintings and sculptures found important places in many big art galleries in several countries.

Then Albrecht remembered the promise he had made to his friend who had faithfully sent him money during these years. So Albrecht went back to the tiny apartment where his friend still lived and there he discovered the enormous price his friend had paid for his success. Franz's slender, sensitive fingers had become so stiff and twisted that he could no longer hold a small paint brush nor make the delicate brush strokes necessary to fine painting. Franz Knigstein would never have inspiring paintings in art galleries, but he was not embittered about this fact. Instead he rejoiced over his friend's success and wanted Albrecht to tell him all about his studies. This touched Albrecht's heart and he did all he could to lighten Franz's work load. One day Albrecht found his friend quietly kneeling in prayer with his gnarled hands clasped upright before him. Quickly, Albrecht took a pencil and paper and sketched the hard-working hands of his praying friend. In time, he developed this sketch into a truly great masterpiece known world-wide as the Praying Hands.

Today, Praying Hands still remind people that there is strength and comfort in helping and praying for a friend---Jesus taught us to do so. He prayed for us, and this beautiful prayer is recorded in the seventeenth chapter of the book of John. He prayed, "Father, ...I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world... Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me..." After Jesus had prayed for us, He entered the Garden of Gethsemane, where in "...agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:44 He felt the weight of your sins and of mine, and He knew the cross was before Him. He laid aside His will and freely gave Himself a supreme sacrifice that none of us should perish, but that all of us might have eternal life. (John 3:16.) Jesus did all of this for us, his friends. He said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you...These things I command you, that ye love one another." John 15:13-17.

Are we keeping this commandment? Are we "...kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another?" Romans 12:10. It's not human nature to prefer someone else above our own desires, but it is divine to do so. In prayer we can find the power to love divinely. We were shown how to love others by the greatest Friend any of us will ever know. [ The End ]