Struggling in a subject

Jesus, help me remember that small victories are important, too! Amen.

"A man had two sons," Jesus said. "He gave them some money. One stayed home, but the other ran away and spent it all. He got so poor he fed pigs to live. Finally, he went home. 'Father, I've sinned,' the boy said. 'Don't call me your son.' But the father wouldn't listen: 'Let's have a party!' he cried. The good son was angry that the bad one got a party. His father said, 'You know I love you, but we had to celebrate. Your brother was lost, and now he's found!'"

Most kids have subjects in school they're good at and others that are a chore. You might easily get A's in reading, but puzzle over math; a friend loves science, but groans when the teacher assigns essays.

When you're struggling in a subject, just passing can seem like a victory: You actually remembered all those dates on the social studies quiz! You got most of your spelling words right!

The father in this week's Gospel (Luke 15:1-32) would totally understand that. His two sons were very different; one was great at saving money and working hard, while the other wasted money and ended up struggling to even keep a job.

When you're good in a subject, you don't think about it much -- but still want people to say, "Good job!" when you get an A. Like you, the older son in the Gospel wanted credit for being good at his work; when he worried no one noticed, his father reassured him.

Having to work hard for a good grade means you want credit even more when you succeed. That's like the younger son in the story, who had a tough time and asked for help. His father knew he needed some "cheerleading." A party helped the son know that his trying and accepting help were important, too. A small victory in something you're usually not good at can lead to bigger victories!