In a certain boys’ school, there was gloom on most of the boys’ faces. The cause of this was that they had not been diligent with their lessons, in fact they had been more or less tiresome all the week, and nearly all their names were on the black list.
The boys knew what that meant, that instead of being free to go off for games that afternoon, they would have to stay in and work out so many sums.
It was no wonder, therefore, that the boys took their places with rather long faces, and when twelve o’clock came, and the black list was placed on the principal’s desk, there was silence in the room.
The principal scanned the paper and then his face grew grave, and looking round he said,
“Boys, this has been a very sad week. You must have given your teachers much trouble and been very disobedient. Your impositions must be entered in the book. You will have to stay in and work this afternoon. I am very sorry.”
Just at this moment one of the teachers stepped up to the desk and laid a large packet of papers upon it.
“What is this?” inquired the principal.
Replied the teacher, “They are the boys’ sums all worked out. It has been a very bad week, and we have had a hard time of it; but we thought perhaps if we worked out all the boys’ impositions for them, they might be more careful in the future not to get any.”
“Are they all here?” asked the principal.
“Yes, sir, all here and all corrected,” was the answer.
“But, the rule of the school is that no one must work out another boy’s sums.”
“We know it,” was the answer; “but we thought, that if a teacher worked them out it might be accepted.”
The boys began to cheer; but the grave face of the principal warned them to desist.
“Boys,” said he, “your teacher’s kindness reminds me of the kindness of God to us who have sinned against Him. They have paid the debt you owed, they have done it all; but before you can get forgiveness, each boy whose name is on the black list must accept for himself what has been so kindly done for him, by signing his name upon a paper thanking the teachers for their kindness and grace. This must be done within the next quarter of an hour, and any boy who fails to sign must work out his sums himself.
Before the time of grace was up, every boy’s name had been placed upon the paper. The boys were most eager to accept what had been done on their behalf, and to receive the pardon. The name of the boy who had only one sum to do was there just as much as the one who had two or three. Thus there was no difference between them.
Do you not see, dear reader, that this is an illustration, though a feeble one, of what the Lord Jesus has done for us? We are all sinners, and our names stand, as it were, on God’s black list, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But the Lord Jesus died on the cross to provide a ransom, that He might set the sinner free.
Have you, then, signed your name and thanked Him for what He has done? If not, do so now, and His joy will fill your heart.
ML 11/15/1936