CLEANSE
ME - MIDI DOWNLOAD
The Word
became flesh and made His dwelling
among us.
We have seen the Glory of the One
and Only,
whi came from the Father, full of
Grace and
Truth.
John1 v14
*
A LESSON IN GRACE *
The boy stood with back arched, head cocked back and hands clenched defiantly.
"Go ahead, give it to me." The principal looked down at the young rebel.
"How many times have you been here?" The child sneered rebelliously, "Apparently
not enough." The principal gave the boy a strange look. "And you have been
punished each time have you not?" "Yeah, I been punished, if that's what
you want to call it." He threw out his small chest, "Go ahead I can take
whatever you dish out. I always have." "And no thought of your punishment
enters your head the next time you decide to break the rules does it?"
"Nope, I do whatever I want to do. Ain't nothing you people gonna do to
stop me either."
The principal looked over at the teacher who stood nearby. "What did he
do this time?" "Fighting. He took little Tommy and shoved his face into
the sandbox." The principal turned to look at the boy, "Why? What did little
Tommy do to you?" "Nothing, I didn't like the way he was looking at me,
just like I don't like the way your looking at me! And if I thought I could
do it, I'd shove your face into something." The teacher stiffened and started
to rise but a quick look from the principal stopped him.
He contemplated the child for a moment and then quietly said, "Today my
young student, is the day you learn about grace." "Grace? Isn't that what
you old people do before you sit down to eat? I don't need none of your
stinken grace." "Oh but you do." The principal studied the young mans face
and whispered. "Oh yes, you truly do..."
The boy continued to glare as the principal continued, "Grace, in its short
definition is unmerited favor. You cannot earn it, it is a gift and is
always freely given. It means that you will not be getting what you so
richly deserve." The boy looked puzzled. "Your not gonna whoop me? You
just gonna let me walk?" The principal looked down at the unyielding child.
"Yes, I am going to let you walk."
The boy studied the face of the principal, "No punishment at all? Even
though I socked Tommy and shoved his face into the sandbox?" "Oh, there
has to be punishment. What you did was wrong and there are always consequences
to our actions. There will be punishment. Grace is not an excuse for doing
wrong." "I knew it," Sneered the boy as he held out his hands. "Lets get
on with it."
The principal nodded toward the teacher. "Bring me the belt." The teacher
presented the belt to the principal. He carefully folded it in two and
then handed it back to the teacher. He looked at the child and said. "I
want you to count the blows." He slid out from behind his desk and walked
over to stand directly in front of the young man. He gently reached out
and folded the child's outstretched, expectant hands together and then
turned to face the teacher with his own hands outstretched.
One quiet word came forth from his mouth. "Begin." The belt whipped down
on the outstretched hands of the principal. Crack! The young man jumped
ten feet in the air. Shock registered across his face, "One" he whispered.
Crack! "Two." His voice raised an octave. Crack! "Three..." He couldn't
believe this. Crack! "Four." Big tears welled up in the eyes of the rebel.
"OK stop! That's enough. Stop!" Crack! Came the belt down on the callused
hands of the principal. Crack! The child flinched with each blow, tears
beginning to stream down his face. Crack! Crack!
"No please," the former rebel begged, "stop, I did it, I'm the one who
deserves it. Stop! Please. Stop..." Still the blows came, Crack! Crack!
One after another. Finally it was over. The principal stood with sweat
glistening across his forehead and beads trickling down his face. Slowly
he knelt down. He studied the young man for a second and then his swollen
hands reached out to cradle the face of the weeping child.
"Grace..."
Read
{
John 1:14 - 17 }
  
|
|
|
|
