There was a village and they were facing drought that year.

The river had dried up.

Ponds had dried up.

Wells had dried.

The women of the village had to walk miles every day to fetch water from a distant place.

They were well into the monsoon season, but there was absolutely no sign of rains.

The sky was blue and clear; the sun was blazing.

The elderly men of the village assembled and started discussing.

Why are we going through this tough time?

Have we done anything wrong?

Is God punishing us for something?

Not that we can think of!

Then they all decided to go to the village temple and pray together.

God is the only refuge in such times.

They decided that on a particular day all of them would go and pray together at the temple.

When that day came someone brought fruits.

Someone brought flowers.

Someone brought garlands for God.

Someone brought clothes.

Someone brought agarbatti and camphor.

Someone brought water from far away for abhisheka.

Someone brought milk.

And with these they all together performed puja.

They all stood outside the temple and started praying together for rains to come.

There was a small boy among the devotees, a young boy.

He had an umbrella in his hand, held folded.

An old man standing nearby saw this.

Hey boy! Why are you carrying an umbrella, have you lost your mind?

There is not even a sign of rain.

There is not even a single piece of cloud in the sky, and you, like a fool, are moving around with an umbrella in your hand.

The boy started blushing.

Others also joined in and started ridiculing the boy.

The boy said: but haven’t we all come here to ask God for rains?

I thought he would hear our prayers and it will start raining.

I didn’t want to get wet on the way back home, that’s why I brought the umbrella.

Wasn’t that supposed to be so?

The elders started laughing out loud.

One of them said: Oh boy! had it been so simple.

Look, this is what we are supposed to do.

In times of trouble, we should go to God and pray.

That doesn’t mean the problem will be solved.

The boy was disappointed.

Suddenly, a voice was heard from inside the temple.

It was God’s voice.

You fools, even if some of you had the faith that young boy has in me, I would have sent you rains by now.

None of you have got faith.

You are acting mindlessly and pretending that you are my devotees.

This mechanical show of faith will not get you anything.

Faith has to be there in the heart, like that young boy.

He did not have any doubt.

He never had any doubt.

He was sure that it would rain after praying to me.

That’s why he brought the umbrella with him.

But you people spoiled everything.

Learn from that boy and come back when you have genuine faith in me.

That time I will answer your prayers.

All the villagers felt ashamed about themselves and left with their heads bent down.

If you have real faith in God, he will answer each and every one of your prayers.