Lately, my eight-year-old son has been reading piles of children’s books about saints. I love seeing him gravitate towards wanting to learn more about God. I want all of my boys to fall in love with Jesus like their dad and I have.

The other night, he showed me a story he’d read about St. Isidore the Farmer, who I’d never heard of. A Spanish saint, Isidore was frequently criticized for being late to work, due to lingering in church for too long after mass. The wonderful thing about St. Isidore is that angels were seen helping him get his plowing done faster, as compensation for the time He devoted to the Lord.

I think this story is a great reminder to us all. In our fast-paced society that values productivity above all else, we can be criticized for taking time to commune with the Lord, as if it’s somehow frivolous. The story of St. Isidore reminds us of the truth: When we take time for God, He can work miracles to make up for the other areas of life that we sacrificed in devotion to Him.

I find this to be true in my own life, for sure. The more time I devote to the Lord, the more He makes it possible for me to spend even more time with Him. I don’t know how He does it! It’s awesome, and I hope others (including my children) experience the same blessing.

Lord, give us the grace to ignore any judgement we may receive from others about our decision to follow you. Reveal Your Glory in our lives, so our critics will see the merit of faith and turn to You for blessings as well. Through our humble offering of time spent with You, inspire others to fall in love with You and trust You enough to spend time in prayer. In Jesus name, Amen.