Good Job Justin


By Marcia K. Leaser

September 17, 2011

 

     Twelve-year-old Justin could hardly wait for Sunday to arrive. He had something to tell the new friend he’d met last Sunday.

     His new friend’s name was Jesus, and Justin had learned about Him for the first time when his family had started going to church last week.

     His Sunday School teacher had told her class about how Jesus was always right beside them. But, not until you knew who He was and that He’d died long ago on a cross just for you, would He live in your heart..

     Justin knew right then, he wanted Jesus to live in his heart and he wanted to please Him more than anything.

     He’d thought all week what he could do to be more like Jesus and he’d decided to be nicer to everyone.

     During Sunday School class Justin prayed when the teacher invited them to, and as he talked to his new friend, Justin told Him what he’d decided. Justin knew in his heart his new friend was proud of his decision.

     The very next day on the way home from school, Justin heard someone crying and saw a little girl who couldn’t have been much older than six standing at the street corner, all alone.

     "Why are you crying?" Justin asked.

     "I’m lost," the little girl said wiping her runny nose.

     "Okay," Justin said, remembering his promise to his new friend, Jesus. " Let’s see what I can do to help you."

     Just then, a police car came down the road and Justin waved his arms so the car would stop.

     He explained to the dark-haired policeman, who stepped from the car, that the little girl was lost.

     "Thank you, son," the big man said. "I’ll take care of her. What’s your name little one?"

     "My name is Sarah, Sarah Whittling," the little girl said between sobs.

     The policeman walked back to the car and called the nearest school on his phone, to see if they knew anything about the little lost girl.

     "Yes, that’s her," Justin heard the policeman say into the phone.

     He walked back to the girl with red-rimmed eyes who stood beside Justin.

     "Do you go to Atkinson school?" the policeman asked.

     "Yes," she answered drawing in a deep breath, as her face lit up.

     "Well, your mommy came to school to get you, as always, but you evidently got lost in a group of older children and walked away from the school, right?"

     "I thought I knew how to get home," Sarah said as she sniffed.

     "Well, you’re only a block away from where you live. But you should never walk away from the school." The big policeman said. 

     Then, the kind man turned to Justin. "Thank you so much for staying with her and for stopping me," he said.. "That was very nice of you. What did you say your name was?"

     "Justin, my name is Justin," he answered proudly. "Uh, sir," he added politely.

     "Then he felt a tug on his sleeve. "Thank you, Justin," Sarah said with a smile.

     The kind policeman, took Sarah’s hand and walked toward a woman who was hurrying down the street.

     "Mommy, " Sarah yelled, letting go of the policeman’s hand.

     The mother picked Sarah up in her arms, wiped the little girl’s eyes, and her own , as she waved to Justin and the policeman.

     "Thanks again," the tall man said, as he took off his hat, got into his car and drove away.

     Justin could hardly wait to tell his new friend, Jesus, what he’d done.

     Since the church was on his way home, he decided to go in and tell Jesus all about it.

     Justin was out of breath after climbing the many stairs to the big sanctuary. He slid into one of the rows of chairs as he caught his breath. Then he quietly talked to Jesus.

     "Jesus," Justin prayed between quick breaths. "I helped a little girl today who was lost, and..."

     "Yes, I know," a kind voice said. "That was nice of you."

     Justin looked around the big empty room in surprise.

     Then he remembered what his teacher had said, about Jesus being right beside him.

     "How do you know that?" Justin asked once again bowing his head and talking silently to Jesus.

     "I see everything you do," the same deep voice responded in Justin’s heart. "It’s easy to be nice to a stranger."

     Justin stayed and talked and laughed with his new friend for about ten minutes and then went home.

     Then Justin got all caught up with life and actually forgot about his friend from church as he did his homework and played basketball with his usual friends at school.

     One day a new kid came to school. He was real tall and had thick lenses in his glasses with heavy black rims. His teeth stuck out in front and he was real shy.

     The other kids weren’t nice to Steven, so Justin decided he’d be the new kids friend.

     Then he remembered Jesus.

     ‘Wow,’ Justin thought. ‘Jesus will really like me for befriending this lonely kid.’

     Justin walked up to the new kid and asked if wanted to be friends.

     "Yes," Steven answered with a toothy grin.

     On Sunday, when Justin got to church, he bowed his head and talked to Jesus.

     "Did you see what I did," Justin prayed anxiously. "I was nice to Steven even though no one else was." Then he said. "He’s going to be my friend."

     Justin could hear the smile in the gentle voice that talked in his head. "Yes, Justin, I saw what you did. But," Jesus said sincerely. "It’s easy being nice to someone who’s nice to you - when it doesn’t cost you anything."

     "I don’t know what you mean!" Justin whispered so no one but Jesus could hear. "I’m trying to do what You want me to do, but You don’t seem to care how good I am."

     "You’re wrong, Justin," Jesus said softly. "I do care whether you’re good or not. But when you do it because it’s the right thing to do - not jut to impress me, it will be better."

     Justin sat with Jesus a little longer, but not much was said between them. Justin was thinking about what Jesus had said.

     Soon, as before, Justin got busy with his new friend Steven, and forgot about Jesus.

     One day at school when Justin walked up to play basketball with the guys. They wouldn’t let him play because he was with Steven and Steven couldn’t play well enough.

     Justin was mad, but he didn’t let the other boys know. He just said he didn’t want to play, if they wouldn’t let Steven play.

     Justin was proud of himself and ran to church after school to tell Jesus.

     Bowing his head in the silence of the sanctuary, Justin said quietly.

     "Jesus, did You see. I was a good friend to Steven wasn’t I?"

     "Well, yes and no," his kind friend replied.

     "What do you mean?" Justin asked in a disappointed voice. "I thought You’d be proud of me!"

     "I am," Jesus spoke to Justin’s heart. "But people who truly love me shouldn’t have to choose who they’ll like and who they won’t like. If they want to become more like me, they’ll like everyone." There was a brief silence, then Jesus continued. "Oh, and by the way, Justin. you don’t need to come into this building to talk to me. I’m with you everywhere."

     "Fine," Justin mumbled, and he walked out of the church feeling alone. He couldn’t help but wonder why he was trying so hard to please Jesus, when no matter what he did, it wasn’t enough.

     All next week Steven and Justin went everywhere together. On Friday, when they walked past all of Justin’s used- to- be friends they began making fun of Justin because he was friends with Steven. They couldn’t understand why he wanted to, because Steven couldn’t play basketball and didn’t get good grades.

     Justin called names back. One thing led to another and before long Justin and Tyler were in a fist fight.

     All the other boys ran away ... including Steven. That mad Justin even more angry. It was because of Steven he got into the fight in the first place.

     Justin ran home and up to his room, where he sat with a washcloth up to his bloody nose.

     "Justin," a voice called.

     Justin spun around. He was all alone.

     The voice spoke again.

     "Jesus?" Justin asked in a shaky voice.

     "Yes, I’m here," Jesus answered. "I saw what you did today."

     "So what?" Justin shouted in the empty room. "They were mean to me. I had every right to hit Tyler... he hit me first. And did you see Steven? He ran away, too. He was the one I was fighting for, He...."

     Jesus spoke. "Justin, do you remember when I told you it was easy to be nice to strangers?"

     "Yes," Justin answered.

     "And, how it was easy to be nice to those who are kind to you?"

     "Yeah, but I...."

     "Let me finish," The voice said softly. "And, how it’s easy to be nice to people when it doesn’t cost you anything?"

     "Yes, Jesus," Justin said hurriedly. "I heard you, I really did. But how can I be nice to those who aren’t nice to me?"

     "You said you wanted to please me, right?" Jesus asked.

     "Yes, but it seems the more I do. The less You like me."

     "Justin, I couldn’t love you more. No matter what you do. You should do the things I ask because you WANT to do them, not because you feel you NEED to do them to impress me.

     "Well, yes," Justin whispered. But You just don’t understand."

     "Don’t understand?" Jesus said with a strange softness to his words. "Do you remember  the first Sunday at church when you heard about why I died. And how?"

     "Yes," Justin answered in a quivering voice.

     Jesus spoke tenderly. Justin felt as if he was the only one in the entire world. "I died on a cross for the very people who put me there."

     "I know that," Justin replied. "But what does that have to do with me and my used-to-be friends?"

     The voice was silent.

     "Jesus?" Justin turned around in the empty room.

     The next day in school Steven ran up to Justin and said. "Hey, I’m sorry I ran away when Tyler hit you. I just don’t like to see people fight."

     "That’s okay," Justin said with a smile. "I shouldn’t have been fighting in the first place."

     Just then Tyler and several other boys who’d been involved in the fight yesterday walked by. Tyler laughed and called Steven a nasty name.

     Steven swallowed hard and looked at Justin. "Don’t do anything," he begged his friend.

     "Hi, Tyler," Justin said, smiling at the kid standing not too far away.

     "Hey, Justin, what’s wrong with you anyway?" Tyler shouted. "You used to be our friend. How can you like this new kid better than us?"

     "Don’t call him names," Justin said. "Actually, he’s a nice guy when you get to know him."

     Steven took a deep breath and smiled at Justin.

     "As a matter of fact, we can all be friends, Justin said.

     "Yeah, sure," Tyler said with a curl to his lip. "Okay, Justin, chose right now, who you’re going to be friends with. Him or us?"

     Justin thought back to what Jesus had said about how it was easy to be nice until it costs you something. It hadn’t made sense until now.

     "I choose, Jesus," Justin said.

     "What in the world does He have to do with all this?" Tyler asked.

     "Why don’t you come to church with me on Sunday and find out?"

     "Nooooo thanks," Tyler said, as he walked away.

     The other boys followed Tyler, leaving Steven and Justin alone in front of the school.

     "That was really nice of you to stand up for me," Steven said in a strained voice.

     "I didn’t do it for you," Justin said softly.

     "Oh." Steven shrugged. "Well, then it was smart of you to do it so you didn’t get another bloody nose.

     "I didn’t do it for me either," Justin said.

     "Then, who?"

     "I did it for Tyler and all the ones who walked away with him," Justin said with a wise smile.

     "What?" Steven sputtered. "Why them? They were mean to me , and they were mean to you."

     "That’s the whole point," Justin replied. "It’s easy being nice to those who treat you nice, but my friend, Jesus, wants us to be nice to the ones who are hard to be nice too."

     "Why would you even want to be nice to people who aren’t nice to you?" Steven asked curiously.

     "Because Jesus asked me to," Justin said with a grin.

     Suddenly the sun came out from behind a cloud lighting t up the whole sky, and a voice Justin recognized right away, spoke to his heart.

     "Good job, Justin. "

     Justin smiled. "Hey, Steven, how’d you like to meet me friend Jesus?"

     "I think I’d like that," Steven answered with a nod of his head. "Besides, we need to tell Him what you just did."

     "He already knows," Justin said with an all-knowing smile.

     "I’ll bet He’s impressed," Steven said. "But when did you talk to Him?"

     "I didn’t do it to impress Him," Justin said. "Actually, I did it for something He did for me a long time ago. And as far as talking to Him ... well, you don’t actually talk to Him verbally you talk to Him with your heart, mind and spirit."

     "Huh?"

     It’s a long story," Justin began. "I’ll introduce you to Him, if you want."

     "Do you think he’ll like me?" Steven said in a soft voice. "You know what I mean. Not many people like me. What if HE doesn’t?"

     "He already does, Steven," Justin said, putting an arm around his friends shoulders. "He already does."

 

The End



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