Too Many Michaels

"I have a message for you," Leo's mom told him when he came in from playing outside. "Michael called a few minutes ago. He wants you to call him back.""Michael Burke?" asked Leo in surprise. "I thought he was on vacation." "No, it was Michael Watson," said Mom. "I forgot you had more than one friend named Michael."Just then Leo's older sister burst into the room. "Guess what! I'm going to the church softball game with Michael!" she exclaimed. "He asked me today."Leo laughed. "Which Michael?""I only know one Mi--" She stopped. "Oh, that's right. I do know other Michaels. Well, this one is Michael Ford." Before going to bed that night, Leo prayed for his family and friends. He thought about a boy in his class at church who needed surgery. "Dear Lord, please be with Michael," Leo began. Then he paused. "You know--Michael Smith," he added. "The one who needs heart surgery."Leo frowned as he thought about how many Michaels there were in the world. There must be lots of Lukes and Sophias and Bens too, he thought. And Leos! He had thought of God as his personal friend, but suddenly he felt like just one of millions of people. He felt small and unimportant.A few days later, Leo's dad, who was a doctor, called from the hospital. "Michael had his surgery today, and he's doing fine," he told Leo. "Guess what? There are three other Michaels on this floor!""Well, I hope the doctors and nurses don't get them mixed up," said Leo.Dad laughed. "There's even another Michael Smith here, but don't worry. Our Michael's mother is the head nurse on this floor. Believe me, she knows which Michael belongs to her!"When Leo prayed for his friend that night, he knew he didn't have to remind God which Michael he was praying for--or which Leo was asking. Just as a mother knows her own son, God knows each of His children. God knows I belong to Him because I trust in Jesus, Leo thought. I'm just as special as if I were the only Leo in the whole world!-Catherine Runyon