SHOW THAT KARATE

Everyone likes to shine. If you got 100 on your spelling test, you want people to know about it! And what's wrong with showing your friends all the things you learned in karate class?

Surprise: Nothing is wrong with those things! In this week's Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12), Jesus talked about people who showed off in other ways -- ways that weren't nice. They were rich; but instead of using their money to help people, they expected people to treat them especially well.

Showing your friends your karate moves isn't the same thing as saying, "Ha, ha -- you can't do this!" If you show them how it's done, they can try it, too, and you could even practice together.

Some people think Jesus doesn't want people to say nice things about themselves at all. They read the Gospel story and think, "We're supposed to be humble -- that means we have to beat ourselves up."

That's not true! Jesus just wanted people who showed off to stop making others feel bad. If you're a good speller, Jesus would want you to be happy about it. Maybe you can help other kids with spelling. Maybe you'll use your good spelling skills as a writer or a teacher someday.

Being humble is a good idea, but don't let it stop you from showing karate to your friends! (10-31-02) [[In-content Ad]]