When I taught French many years ago, one of the boys in my class failed a test. The next day, his mother came to me and made a startling request: "Mrs. B, would you let Ethan take his test again?" I had never had anyone ask me that before, and it took me by surprise. Deviations from the norm throw me off. That's not the way to do things! I thought. Various objections ran through my head. He should have turned his assignments in. He should have paid more attention in class. He should have studied harder. To let him take the test again seemed unfair to the other students who had done all the right things. I wrestled with my thoughts for a few moments. Grudgingly, I agreed. "All right," I said. "Ethan can take the test again tomorrow."

He took the test the next day and did better the second time around. His mother was happy, and possibly Ethan's estimation of me went up a notch.

Galatians 5:1 – So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law. (NLT)

As a teacher at a Christian school, I had the authority to make the rules and evaluate students in the ways that I deemed best. I had the right to "go by the book". But was it always the best way? According to 1 Corinthians 12:31b, there is "a more excellent way." I could use my discretion in this tricky situation, and didn't have to be rigid in my thinking.

Showing him grace in letting him retake the test was crucial. He was only a young believer in Christ. What was important was how I came across to him as a follower of Jesus. Was I going to show him the grace that Jesus shows me, day after day?

1 Corinthians 8:13b – I don't want to cause another believer to stumble. (NLT)

Galatians 5:13b – But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. (NLT)

Insisting on rigid adherence to the rules and thinking that I always had the right solution was not freedom in Christ. I didn't want my student to get the wrong impression of God's ways. I had to act in love for his sake, so that he would understand one of the main themes of the Bible, that there was freedom in the Christian faith.

In any situation involving people, we can stick to the rules, or we can show the grace of God. None of us deserved it, but God poured out His love for us by allowing His only Son to die a cruel death, so that we could live a different kind of life. Let that be our challenge, that in serving others, we demonstrate to them the grace that God has so freely shown us.

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for Your more excellent way. Help us to act in love and compassion for others, as You have extended grace to us. In Your name, we pray. Amen.