Making The Grade

Last week our schools sent out report cards. How many of you were proud of the grades you got on your report card? I can remember when I was in school and report card day came around. As the teacher started to pass out the report cards, I became very nervous and started to worry. What would the report card say about my work at school? The events of the last six weeks would begin to flash before my eyes. Would those days that I told the teacher that the dog ate my homework come back to haunt me? How about the times when I watched television instead of studying for the test? Would that show up in my grades? Would the teacher remember those times when I was talking in class instead of listening? How about the day that the teacher had to send me to the principal's office? Would that show up in my citizenship grade? My parents will be furious if I don't get a good grade in citizenship. I wonder if it is too late to pray and ask God to forgive me? "Dear Lord, if you'll let me get by this time, I promise I'll do better next six weeks!" I'm sure that none of you had to worry about your report card like I did.

Just as surely as report card day comes at school, the Bible teaches us that each of us must answer to God for the kind of life we live. God has given us the Bible to tell us exactly what He expects of us. It teaches us what we should do and what we should not do. Just as we have to study and prepare ourselves for the work that we have to do at school, we must study God's word and do our best to follow its teachings. We must do our best to prepare ourselves so that when we answer to God, we will not have to be ashamed of what we have done.

My mom and dad weren't always proud of my report card, but I was still their child and they still loved me! The same is true of God. Even though He may not be proud of some of the things I have done, I am still His child, and He still loves me.

Dear Lord, help me to study your Word and to prepare myself to be the kind of child of which you can be proud. Thank you for loving me even when I don't measure up to what you expect of me. Amen.