Two Different Ways to Prepare
At Maple Grove Elementary, the students were getting ready for a big spelling test.
Liam sat at his desk with a grin. He had always been quick at spelling, but he hadn’t studied much this time. “I’m already the smartest kid here,” he whispered to himself. “God must be so proud of me. At least I’m not like those kids who struggle.”
Elizabeth sat a few rows behind him. She held her pencil tightly and felt her heart beat fast. She knew she had trouble spelling some words, even after studying hard. She bent her head down and quietly prayed, “God, I make mistakes a lot. Please help me try my best today.”
The teacher passed out the papers, and the test began. Liam scribbled down his answers quickly, barely checking his work. Elizabeth wrote slowly, sounding out each word carefully.
When the tests were handed back the next day, Liam’s grin disappeared—he had made many mistakes. He had been too proud to study, and it showed.
Elizabeth looked at her paper. She didn’t get everything right, but she had done well. The teacher gave her a fist bump and said, “Great job, Elizabeth. You worked hard, and it shows.”
Liam slouched in his chair, embarrassed. Elizabeth, on the other hand, on the way home on the bus, kissed her cross around her neck and whispered, “Thank You, God, for helping me.”
The teacher told the class, “Being humble and doing your best is what matters most.”
Moral: God is pleased with humble hearts, not with pride.
Based on Luke 18:9–14.
