The Right Answer

Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7

Silas stuffed his math quiz in his bag and slammed his locker shut. I don’t understand why Mr. Brown won’t give me a better grade on that quiz, he thought. My answers were much closer to being right than they were on the last quiz.

On the way home, Silas saw his neighbor, Mr. Perez, raking his yard. “Hey there, Silas,” Mr. Perez said. “Everything okay? You look a bit upset.”

Silas stopped and explained the problem with his math quiz to Mr. Perez. “I think I should have gotten a better grade than I did,” he said. “I mean, my math is improving, and my answers were much closer to being right than before. I even talked to my teacher about it after class, but he refused to change my grade.”

Mr. Perez leaned on his rake. “Let me tell you about something that happened yesterday,” he said. “I needed to call the plumber because our sink was clogged, so I looked up the number online. The last four digits were 5519. I made the call, but the woman who answered said I had the wrong number. She said her number ended with 5529.” Mr. Perez shook his head. “I was just one number off.”

“So it didn’t help that you had the number almost right,” Silas said thoughtfully.

“No, and I’m afraid the same goes for your quiz. You were close, but you were still wrong.” Mr. Perez smiled sympathetically. “Before you go, I have a question for you—and it’s important to have the right answer to this one. The question is this—how can you get to heaven?”

“Well…by being good and doing our best,” Silas said. “And by giving money to the poor and helping others.”

Mr. Perez shook his head. “I’m afraid you’re wrong there too—and like I said, it’s very important to have this answer right. We can only get to heaven by putting our faith in Jesus.” He lay his rake down on the grass. “If you have time for one of Mrs. Perez’s famous orange cookies, I’d like to tell you more about it. Why don’t you run home first and make sure it’s okay with your mom?”

“Okay!” Silas said, knowing this was one answer he had to get right. – Harry C. Trover

How About You?

Did you have the right answer to Mr. Perez’s question? No matter how many good things you do, they can never get you to heaven. The Bible says only those who believe in Jesus will be saved and spend eternity with Him. Put your faith in Jesus today! (Click the blue “Good News!” button in the column above and to the right.)

Today’s Key Verse:
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…not by works, so that no one can boast.

Today’s Key Thought:

Good deeds can’t save you