In the days of one-room schoolhouses, Miss Tomlin, the new teacher, thought it a good idea to lay some ground rules. She invited the students to give their suggestions. Together the class came up with 10 rules for their classroom.

Then Miss Tomlin asked, "Now what do we do if one of those rules is broken?" After much discussion a punishment was decided upon.

Several months into the school year everyone had been following their rules perfectly, until one day, a little girl named Mary leaned over to her friend. "Susan...do you have a pencil I can borrow?" Before she could get a response, Miss Tomlin spoke, "Mary, I’ll need to see you after school."

As the large school bell rang, Miss Tomlin dismissed everyone. "Mary, could you please come here?" Miss Tomlin said, "Do you remember the rules we decided upon at the beginning of the school year?" Mary nodded. "They are posted over there." Mary said.

"Can you read rule #4 for me?" asked Miss Tomlin

"If you have something to say, raise your hand." Mary said.

“You broke the rule. Do you remember the punishment that was decided upon?"

Mary nodded as she remembered, "Three strikes with a ruler to the back of the hand."

Mary held out her hand with her eyes closed tightly waiting for the intense pain of the ruler and flinched when she felt something touching her hand. But it was not a ruler. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see the hand of her older brother Billy covering her hand. Billy spoke up, "Miss Tomlin, it is true that Mary broke one of the rules that we as a class set up. And it is also true that there would be a punishment for breaking one of those rules. But it does not say who has to receive the punishment for breaking one of those rules. So I would like to take the punishment for my sister."²

God set rules for us as well... rules on how to live a full and holy life. Rules meant not just to be obeyed, but a loving way to live. He gave us the freedom to choose our way. When we chose to break His rules and sin instead, Jesus put His life above ours and took our punishment.

Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for loving me enough to take the punishment that I deserve. Fill me with the desire to follow your rules, the ones made in love for me. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

1.    Psalm 119:34 (NIV).

2.    Excerpt taken from semoncentral.com

Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.