Bad Grades & Big Prayers

“All right, class,” said Justin and Jessie’s school teacher, Mrs. Bentley. “I’ve graded your practice spelling tests. Most of you did very well.”

Jessie smiled proudly as she looked at the A on her test paper Mrs. Bentley handed to her. But when Justin got his paper, his heart sank when he saw a big fat F on it!

“Oh no!” Justin said out loud. The kids nearby peered over at Justin’s paper. Justin quickly flipped it over so no one could see the F.

“What’s wrong?” asked Jessie.

Justin lifted the top edge of the paper so she could see the grade. Jessie giggled. She never got grades that bad.

“Let me see it.” Jessie reached for Justin’s test, but he scowled and shoved the paper into his folder.

“Never mind,” he muttered, feeling upset that his best friend had laughed at him.

“Remember, class,” said their teacher. “This was a practice test. We will have the real test on Friday.”

“That only gives me two days to learn these words,” Justin grumbled. “I’ll never make it.” He flopped his head down on the desk—thunk.

After school, Justin trudged into his house and dropped his backpack on the floor. “Hi, Jussin,” said his little sister, Ellie. “Will you play with me?”

Justin shook his head. “No, Ellie,” he said sadly. “I have to study my spelling words.”

“How long will dat take?”

“Forever!” Justin moaned.

“But I don’t wanna wait dat long,” she said.

Then their mom walked in. “Oh, hi, Justin,” she said. “How was school?”

“Jussin can’t play with me foreva!” Ellie announced.

“What’s the problem?” Mom asked.

Justin showed his mom the F on his practice spelling test. “I told Ellie I can’t play with her. I have to study. But it’s impossible!” Justin flopped into a kitchen chair.

“Oh dear,” said Mom. “Why don’t we pray about it?”

“You mean like a ‘please prayer’?” Justin asked.

“Yes, exactly.”

“Dear Jesus,” Justin began, “please help me with my spelling words. They’re really hard, and I need help to learn them all.”

“And,” Mom prayed, “please help Justin to do his best on the test. Amen.”

A few minutes later, while Justin was crunching on a cracker, Jessie knocked at the back door. Justin opened it. “Hi, Jessie,” he said.

“Hi, Justin. Wanna come out and play?” she asked.

“Nope, I can’t,” Justin replied.

“Why not?”

“Because I have to study for the spelling test.”

“But that test is easy,” Jessie replied.

Justin felt annoyed. “Well, maybe for you, but it’s not so easy for me.”

Jessie frowned. “Fine then,” she said and stomped back through the gate to her own yard.

Justin closed the door wondering why Jessie was mad. “I don’t get it,” he mumbled as he sat down to finish his snack.

Meanwhile, Jessie marched to her back porch and dropped into a chair. “It’s not fair,” she complained. “How come I can’t do what I want just because Justin can’t spell?”

“What?!” asked her mom, who was sitting nearby enjoying the sunshine.

Jessie told her mom about Justin’s poor grade on the spelling test.

“How would you feel if you got an F on a spelling test?” asked Jessie’s mom.

Jessie had never received an F on anything in school. “I guess I would be upset,” she admitted. “Oh no!” she gasped. “I just remembered; I laughed when he showed me his bad grade.”

“Jessie! That’s a terrible thing to do,” Mom scolded. “And then you got angry because he wants to study? Wow! That’s pretty selfish, don’t you think?”

Jessie nodded sadly. She knew she had messed up! “What should I do?”

“I think you know,” said Mom. “Confess your sin to God and then apologize to Justin.”

Jessie did just that. First, she prayed and told God she was sorry, and then she went next door to apologize to her friend. “I was really selfish and didn’t think about your feelings. Will you forgive me?”

“I forgive you,” Justin said. “Thanks.”

“Hey!” said Jessie. “You want me to help you study?”

Justin smiled. “Yeah, that would be great!”

For the next two days, Jessie quizzed Justin over and over. Finally, it was time for the test. “Please help me remember what I’ve studied,” Justin prayed silently. Then he began writing.

At the end of the day, Mrs. Bentley passed back the spelling tests, saying, “Good job, class! Everyone got an excellent grade on their test.”

Justin peeked at the top of his test page. “I got a giant A!” he shouted. Jessie turned and gave Justin a double thumbs-up.

Later, when Justin got home, he whipped out his test paper for his mom to see.

Later, when Justin got home, he whipped out his test paper for his mom to see.

“That’s fabulous!” Mom exclaimed. “Great job, Justin!”

“I’m so glad I got an A, thanks to Jessie; she helped me study.”

“And thanks to God. Remember, you asked him for help, and he gave it to you.”

“Can we tell God ‘thanks’ right now?” Justin asked.

“Of course,” Mom replied. “We can pray any time.”

“Can I pway, too?” Ellie asked.

“Certainly,” said Mom, pulling Ellie close.

“Dear God,” Mom began, “we praise you because you are a loving God who listens to our prayers.”

“And,” added Justin, “thank you for helping me study and remember my spelling words so I could get an A.”

Then Ellie prayed, “Thank yoo for helping Jussin so he can play with me again.”

Then they all said together, “Amen!”

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