Go to the Head of the Class
Friday, July 4, 2025
“It is the easiest thing in the world to give high marks when grading your own paper. Be honest and fair. Be gracious to all, but be rigorous with yourself.” – C.H. Spurgeon
Jump in the “way back machine” with me to Pennsauken High School in the year 1976.
As a junior, I am taking a humanities class taught by Mr. Stan Kotzen. He is also the director of the school plays and had selected me for the leading role in Thorton Wilder’s Our Town the previous fall.
Mr. Kotzen was a bit of a “beatnik” and had a unique way of teaching. That being said, I enjoyed his class but wasn’t quite prepared for the assignment he gave us at the end of the semester.
“I want you to write down on a piece of paper the grade you think you deserve,” he told the class. Believing I deserved an “A” but not wanting to appear conceited, I wrote down “A minus”.
Well, guess what? He gave me what I asked for… an A-minus instead of what I really thought I deserved. So much for false modesty!
My friend, if the truth be told, we all deserve a failing grade when it comes to keeping God’s commandments. We have all lied, stolen, cursed, and coveted at some point in our lives, not to mention disobeying our parents and creating earthly idols of our careers, hobbies, or other worldly interests. And since Jesus says that harboring hatred in our heart equates to murder (Matthew 5:21-22) and that lusting after a woman is the moral equivalent of adultery (Matthew 5:27-28), by my count we have all broken at least nine of the 10 Commandments.
Then there is “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.” Have you done that 100%? If not, you (and I) have violated all 10 Commandments and deserve a big fat “F” on Judgment Day.
Praise God that we have Someone who, at Calvary’s cross, exchanged His report card for ours. Now, because of the blood of Jesus Christ, we can go straight to the head of the class for all eternity!
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” I John 1:7 (BSB)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
