This was the day for the test. Mrs. Walker’s 6th grade class had been studying the fourteen possessive pronouns, knowing they would be tested on them at the end of the week. Here’s what the list looks like: my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, your, yours, their and theirs. They were suppose to memorize them—not a hard job. Now it was Friday.
After having told the class that all books and papers must be placed inside their desks, Mrs. Walker passed out the test papers. They had two minutes to write down the fourteen words—easy if you had memorized them. But as she looked around the room, she saw that around Tom’s desk there were books and papers still on the floor. She walked back to his desk and asked him to put all that stuff into his desk, which he did.
As she remained standing near Tom’s desk, she noticed that he wrote his test answers with his right hand but kept his left hand in his lap. That’s an awkward way to write, and he was having a little difficulty writing that way. He got only a few pronouns written down in the two minutes.
When the time was up, the students had to pass their papers to the front. But before Mrs. Walker went to the front to collect the papers, she asked Tom to show her his left hand. There on the back of his hand he had written in ink all fourteen personal pronouns! He was going to copy them from his hand onto his test paper, but he couldn’t because Mrs. Walker was standing close by and would see what he was doing. You can probably guess what his score was on the test—zero. He failed it.
Tom was in trouble, and he knew what he had done was wrong. He has Christian parents who have taught their children right and wrong and what sin is. I wonder if Tom has learned the verse, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)). It is a warning to all of us about sins we try to hide.
Tom hoped Mrs. Walker wouldn’t tell his mom and dad what he had done, because he knew he would be punished if they found out. However, it was Mrs. Walker’s responsibility as his teacher to report it to his parents. She sent a computer e-mail to them that afternoon, telling them that Tom had tried to cheat on the test. Along with it she sent proof. She had taken a picture of Tom’s left hand with her cell phone and included the picture in the e-mail. Yes, Tom was in BIG trouble, not only at school, but at home too.
Mrs. Walker wasn’t the only one who wrote a report about Tom’s cheating. God also wrote it in His record book of Tom’s life. What about the rest of us who have probably cheated in one way or another, along with committing all kinds of other sins? God keeps a record book of each of our lives. He sees everything we do, good and bad: “[God’s] eyes are upon the ways of man, and He [sees] all his goings” (Job 34:2121For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. (Job 34:21)). Another verse tells us the results of our sins: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)).
But thankfully, God has given us good news. He loves us very much, and He sent His Son Jesus into this world purposely to save us from our sins: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). He offers forgiveness for the sins of any person, young or old, who will admit his or her sin and believe that Jesus died on the cross to wash away those sins.
If you will believe and accept Jesus as your Saviour, He says to you, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins” (Isaiah 44:2222I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. (Isaiah 44:22)). More good news—He promises that a place will be reserved for you in heaven.
What are you waiting for?
ML-02/24/2013