What Really Counts

Bible Reading: Luke 18:9-14

Adam and his friends were stunned. One of their classmates had been killed in a car accident. “We feel sad this morning,” said Miss Walters, their teacher. “Sometimes it makes us feel better to remember good and happy things about a person who has died. Would anyone like to share something special about Chase?” So several students mentioned things they liked about their friend.

Amelia spoke first. “Chase played his horn really well.”

“He was smart,” said Jason. “He could figure things out real quick.”

“He was always nice to other kids,” said Marcy.

“Chase was a good person,” said Dylan. “He went to church every week.”

Adam fidgeted in his seat. The things the kids said were true, but nobody had mentioned the most important thing of all. Chase and I talked about it just last week. Do I dare tell them? he wondered. Adam hesitated a few minutes longer, then slowly raised his hand.

His teacher smiled at him. “Yes, Adam?”

“Well, my dad always says people are like cars,” Adam began nervously. “But Chase wasn’t at all like my brother Luke’s car.” Adam noticed some of the kids frowning at him and realized how odd that sounded. He hurried to explain. “See…when Luke found a car he wanted to buy, he had my dad take a look at it. It looked really nice, and Luke liked the audio system and stuff. But Dad kept saying, ‘What about the engine? It’s what’s under the hood that really counts.’ But Luke didn’t listen, and now his car won’t run half the time.” Adam paused, surprised at the long speech he was making. He noticed kids were still frowning.

“That’s interesting,” said Miss Walters kindly, “but would you like to say something more about Chase?”

“What I wanted to say was…we’ve heard a lot of good things about Chase, but like I said, I’m glad I can tell you he’s not like Luke’s car. He didn’t just look good. A couple of months ago, Chase told me he trusted Jesus as his Savior. That made him good in God’s eyes, and that’s what really counts.”

Adam saw that a few kids looked puzzled, but some were smiling now. And he felt like up in heaven, Chase was smiling too.

-Hazel Marett

How About You?

Is your life like a car that doesn’t just look good, but is good? Going to church, being helpful and kind, and doing all sorts of other good things may help you look good to others. But to look good to God, you must receive His righteousness—His goodness—through Jesus. That’s what really counts. Trust Him as your Savior today.

Today’s Key Verse:
2 Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Trust in Jesus