3 Reasons to Read the Barber Who Wanted to Pray by R.C. Sproul

This article was first published in French at TPSG.

I bring you, once again, a review of a children’s book written by a beloved theologian, this time by the late R.C. Sproul. Best known for “The Holiness of God” and “Chosen by God,” he also wrote a collection of books geared towards children, which speak to the hearts of young and old. In “The Barber Who Wanted to Pray,” we learn of the Martin Luther’s exchange with his barber, Herr Peter, on the subject of prayer. 

Father, Teach us to Pray

The story opens in an ordinary modern household, in which Mr. and Mrs. Muller gather around their table with their six little ones for family devotions. As the children listen to their father pray, they marvel at the beauty of his words and ask him to teach them to pray like him. This leads Mr. Muller to recount the story of a man who one day asked the same question of the famous German reformer. 

A Professor and a Barber

An outlaw in his own land, Martin Luther was beloved by many in his village, including the gentleman he frequented for a shave. Famed for his devotion to prayer, the former monk is said to have prayed three hours a day, and when he was especially busy, he’d pray four hours. It’s therefore with good reason that his barber thought the theology professor might be able to teach him a thing or two about prayer. 

A Special Request

“I have a problem,” Master Herr announced. “When I pray, sometimes I feel like my prayers don’t go any higher than the ceiling. Do you think you’d be able to help me learn to pray?” The theologian found this request gratifying, as his students’ questions often focused on questions of doctrine. And while these, too, were important, what better way to grow in our faith than to learn to pray?

A Manual for Prayer

Some days later, Luther returned to the barbershop with a short book he had just composed entitled, “A Simple Way to Pray.” In its pages, he recommended that a believer model his prayers after the words of three texts: The Lord’s Prayer, The Ten Commandments, and the Apostles’ Creed. These were not to be recited mindlessly, but rather were to serve as a guide to fuel the Christian’s prayers.

 

Three Reasons to Read “The Barber Who Wanted to Pray” 

1.     It grounds us in Scripture and Church Tradition

The three tools Luther offers give us a script that we can depend on because they come directly from Scripture or from a confession of faith that dates to the earliest days of the Church. (As I’ve discussed in previous articles, the Creed is not in the Bible, but it’s a faithful summary of the essential elements of the faith as found therein). At times, popular devotionals and prayer guides contain superficial or dangerous teaching on the character of God and the nature of prayer. Going back to the fundamentals of the faith, be it by meditating on the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, or the Apostles’ Creed, grounds us in truths we can trust because we know their source. 

2.     It speaks to believers of any age 

Prayer ought to be the desperate cry of a child toward his loving Heavenly Father. But sometimes, it can feel more like a chore than a joy. I am fairly certain that most of us can relate to Herr Peter more than to Martin Luther when it comes to prayer. Although I would love to say I pray three hours a day, I more easily identify with the barber and his feelings of inadequacy. Yet rather than lay guilt upon a brother seeking help, the Reformer provided practical, concrete advice that any Christian could put into practice, be they 8 or 88, be they a believer new to a faith or a seasoned saint.  

3.     It’s beautifully illustrated

The realistic and tender depiction of the characters in the story made this book a pleasure to look at and read. And the presence of a sweet cat in many of the illustrations was a great delight to my girls, who have a special fondness for all things feline ever since we bought them their first kitten earlier this year. And seeing Martin Luther’s chubby face covered in shaving cream made him more human. We often mystify our heroes of the faith, but the Reformer needed to go to the barber for a shave like any ordinary man. And what better way to introduce our little ones to Church History than by taking them to the barbershop with the German reformer.

A Summer Challenge

My first challenge to you is this: Please buy this book and read it with your kids this summer. But here’s my bigger challenge: Why not take time to memorize the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles’ Creed with them as well? You can make it a fun summer project they can take part in with friends from church. A quick search on YouTube will provide a few different versions of each, set to music, to aid in memorization. My prayer is that as our children hide these truths in their hearts, this will serve them throughout their lives, both as an aid in prayer and as a reminder of what we believe.