I Remember the Stick

July 25th, 2007

I had gotten up at 3 am Sunday morning to prepare a Sunday lesson for the children at our church. Just the night before, the Sunday School teacher had frantically telephoned to inform me that she was sick with typhoid and could not teach the class. By flashlight I studied that night, expecting God to show me exactly what message to share. I arrived at church the following morning fully prepared to teach, but God had other plans for me; another teacher had also prepared the lesson! So I gave him the honor of sharing with the boys and girls.

Later that day, at home, I was able to share the message the Holy Spirit had given me. In our front yard I told the story of the love of God. One of my visual aids was a whipping stick—the children here know what that means! In African society the stick is used to beat the children who dishonor their elders, or disobey their parents. The stick symbolizes punishment.

I communicated with the children how Jesus was beaten—not for His sin but for ours. Jesus was punished for OUR disrespect, OUR cheating, OUR fighting! The following day after school, seven year old Gary, Jr. walked up to me with a grin on his face and a gleam in his eyes.”Auntie Ruth, I remember the stick!”