Many of you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour. Are you glad to share what Jesus has done for you with your unsaved classmates, neighbors or other friends? Or do you find it more important to be liked by them and do what they do?
Ricky belonged to the Lord Jesus, but he found it very hard to stay out of fights when he was in first and second grade. Although he was big for his age, certain boys in his class were always looking for a chance to fight anybody. When Ricky was in third grade, he decided to stay away from the boys who picked fights and got into trouble. Instead, he had fun playing games with others at recess time.
One day, Ricky was playing with some friends at recess when Mike and Scott came up to him. “Hey, Ricky,” they said, “we want to beat up Mark. Will you help us?”
Ricky was surprised. These two boys used to pick fights with him, and now they wanted his help to beat up somebody else! Everyone knew they were troublemakers because they were always starting fights. But it made Ricky feel really good that they wanted his help.
Ricky had learned a Bible verse to help him at such a time. “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not [say ‘no’].” Proverbs 1:1010My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. (Proverbs 1:10). If Ricky had just thought of that verse, the Lord Jesus would have helped him to do what was right. But he sure liked the idea that Mike and Scott wanted his help. He didn’t stop to think that what they wanted him to do was wrong - it was sin. And he didn’t remember that the Lord Jesus had died for his sins. He told Mike and Scott, “OK.”
While the three boys were talking, Mark saw them looking over at him, so he started to run. Mike, Scott and Ricky took off after him. Mark ran off the playground and went around the side of the school. Then he ran out onto the front lawn and headed for the street.
Mike, Scott and Ricky followed him. Just as Mark reached the street, Mike picked up a rock. Thinking he was close enough, he threw it at Mark.
Do you know what was on that street? There were cars parked in a row. Do you know what was behind those boys? There were classrooms with big windows where people could see outside.
It was a terrible thing for Mike to want to hit Mark with a rock. But that rock did not even come close to hitting Mark. The boys watched as it hit one car and bounced off, hit another car and bounced off, and then hit a third car before it fell to the ground.
Now it was the three boys who were scared, and they ran as fast as they could back to the playground for the rest of recess.
As he returned to his classroom, Ricky secretly hoped no one would ever find out about the rock thrown at Mark. But if Ricky had been a little older, he would have understood that the Lord Jesus loved him too much to let him get away with doing wrong. Ricky had something to learn. “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).
A half hour later, there was a knock at the classroom door. In came the principal. “I want Mike, Scott and Ricky to come with me to my office immediately.” The boys knew they were in trouble, and they were scared.
They soon found out that a teacher and all of her class had been watching them through their classroom windows. They had seen the rock thrown at Mark and how it had hit the cars. The principal also told them that the windshield of one of the cars was broken. Word was sent home to Mike’s, Scott’s and Ricky’s parents.
Ricky had to be disciplined at home. He felt even worse that his Dad had to share the cost of paying for a new windshield. How he wished that he would have had the courage to say “no” to Mike and Scott.
We hope the next time Ricky will quickly pray and ask the Lord Jesus to help him do the right thing. If you belong to the Lord Jesus, a good verse to remember is Psalm 18:22The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2), “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.”
ML-06/26/1994