Grace

[Keith]

Grace

The boy stood with back arched, head cocked back and hands

clenched defiantly. "Go ahead, give it to me."

The principal looked down at the young rebel. "How many times

have you been here?"

The child sneered rebelliously, "Apparently not enough."

The principal gave the boy a strange look. "And you have been

punished each time have you not?"

"Yeah, I been punished, if that's what you want to call it." He

threw out his small chest, "Go ahead I can take whatever you dish

out. I always have."

"And no thought of your punishment enters your head the next time

you decide to break the rules does it?"

"Nope, I do whatever I want to do. Ain't nothin' you people gonna

do to stop me either."

The principal looked over at the teacher who stood nearby. "What

did he do this time?"

"Fighting. He took little Tommy and shoved his face into the

sandbox."

The principal turned to look at the boy, "Why? What did little

Tommy do to you?"

"Nothin, I didn't like the way he was lookin' at me, just like I

don't like the way your lookin' at me! And if I thought I could

do it, I'd shove your face into something."

The teacher stiffened and started to rise but a quick look from

the principal stopped him. He contemplated the child for a moment

and then quietly said, "Today my young student, is the day you

learn about grace."

"Grace? Isn't that what you old people do before you sit down to

eat? I don't need none of your stinkin' grace."

"Oh but you do." The principal studied the young mans face and

whispered. "Oh yes, you truly do..." The boy continued to glare

as the principal continued, "Grace, in its short definition is

unmerited favor. You can not earn it, it is a gift and is always

freely given. It means that you will not be getting what you so

richly deserve."

The boy looked puzzled. "Your not gonna whup me? You just gonna

let me walk?"

The principal looked down at the unyielding child. "Yes, I am

going to let you walk."

The boy studied the face of the principal, "No punishment at all?

Even though I socked Tommy and shoved his face into the sandbox?"

"Oh, there has to be punishment. What you did was wrong and there

are always consequences to our actions. There will be punishment.

Grace is not an excuse for doing wrong."

"I knew it," Sneered the boy as he held out his hands. "Lets get

on with it."

The principal nodded toward the teacher. "Bring me the belt." The

teacher presented the belt to the principal. He carefully folded

it in two and then handed it back to the teacher. He looked at

the child and said. "I want you to count the blows."

He slid out from behind his desk and walked over to stand

directly in front of the young man. He gently reached out and

folded the child's outstretched, expectant hands together and

then turned to face the teacher with his own hands outstretched.

One quiet word came forth from his mouth. "Begin." The belt

whipped down on the outstretched hands of the principal.

Crack! The young man jumped ten feet in the air. Shock registered

across his face, "One" he whispered. Crack! "Two." His voice

raised an octave. Crack! "Three..." He couldn't believe this.

Crack! "Four." Big tears welled up in the eyes of the rebel. "OK

stop! That's enough. Stop!" Crack! Came the belt down on the

callused hands of the principal.

Crack! The child flinched with each blow, tears beginning to

stream down his face. Crack! Crack! "No please", the former rebel

begged, "Stop, I did it, I'm the one who deserves it. Stop!

Please. Stop..." Still the blows came, Crack! Crack! One after

another.

Finally it was over.

The principal stood with sweat glistening across his forehead and

beads trickling down his face. Slowly he knelt down. He studied

the young man for a second and then his swollen hands reached out

to cradle the face of the weeping child.

"Grace..."

-- Unknown

[Keith]

It's amazing how much of an impact Biblical principles can have when you word them in modern situations. I like this idea because I think people sometimes have a tendency to read/hear something from the Bible and think, "Oh, yeah, that Bible story." It can cause it to hit home a little more sometimes.

[Avodah]

What a wonderful way of conveying the truth. It gave me goose bumps.

[Guest Jacee]

wow!

[Keith]

Wow, is right Jacee.

I just thought of this.... Parents, if you were called to bring your child into the principals office, would this be something you would consider doing for your child? (Pre-arranged with the principal, of course. Whether it be the ruler on the hands, serving detention, or whatever the punishment?) Do you think it would make a difference with your child?