The Wrong Finger

Bible Reading: John 3:1-7, 16

“Of course I’m a Christian!” Easton told his friend Micah. “I go to church with my mom and dad all the time. Dad’s on the church board, and Mom teaches Sunday school.” Easton paused, then added, “During the church service last Sunday, they both gave testimonies about how they were saved.”

“So what?” said Micah. “That doesn’t make you a Christian.”

“Does too!” Easton insisted.

A little later, Micah left to go home, and Easton came into the house. “Micah and I were tightening some screws on our bikes, and my hand slipped,” Easton told his mom. “My finger got cut!” He held out his hand to show her. “It still hurts.”

“Well, come on in,” said Mom as she inspected Easton’s finger. “Let’s go fix it.”

Mom got a small strip bandage from the medicine cabinet. She looked at it thoughtfully as she tore it open. Then she very carefully put it on her own finger. “There,” she said. “Does that bandage make you feel better?”

Easton stared at his mom. Then he laughed. “Mom! It’s my finger that’s hurt. I’m the one who needs the bandage, not you.”

“Oh?” Mom looked at him. “You mean the bandage on my finger doesn’t help yours?”

“Of course not!” said Easton.

“Well,” replied Mom, “a little while ago I heard you talking with Micah through the open window in the kitchen. You said that because Dad and I are Christians, you are too, right?” Easton nodded uncertainly. “Your dad and I had all our wrongs forgiven by God,” Mom said. “We trusted Jesus as our Savior, and He saved us from sin and gave us eternal life with Him! If that makes you a Christian too, then I think this bandage on my finger should also take care of your cut.”

Easton stared thoughtfully at his mother. “I guess you’re right,” he said. “I need my own bandage—and I need to trust Jesus for myself, don’t I?”

“Yes, you do,” Mom replied as she took out another bandage to put on Easton’s finger. “Want to talk about it some more?”

Easton looked at his cut. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

-Hazel W. Marett

How About You?

Do you come from a Christian home? Do your parents, grandparents, or other relatives know Jesus as their Savior? If you answered yes, that’s great. But here’s the real question—have you placed your faith in Jesus? If not, you are not a Christian. In the Bible, even Nicodemus, a religious ruler, had to be “born again,” meaning he had to trust Jesus to take away his sin. You do too. Trust Jesus today so you can be a Christian too. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)

Today’s Key Verse:
John 3:3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Trust Jesus for yourself