Test Day

¹⁸ Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. ¹⁹ For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

It was test day and the boy was nervous. Everyone had to take the test. There were no exceptions. But he was nervous because he knew the test was difficult. In fact, he had never heard of anyone ever passing it. The score required to pass this test was not 51%. It was not even 60 or 70 percent. The score required to pass this test was 100%.

And everybody wanted to pass. Whoever passed the test would go on a camp by the lake for a whole week. There would be outdoor ball games, swimming, treasure hunts, animal feeding, a camp fire for roasting marshmallows, tree climbing, and more. 

The boy had all this on his mind as he sat at his desk to take the test. Question after question he worked. When he reached the last question a small tear rolled down the boy’s face and dropped onto the paper. Like so many of the questions this last one was beyond the boy’s understanding. He did know not the answer. 

His test was collected and taken to the front of the room. All was quiet. Except for a gentle scratching sound behind the boy. He turned and to surprise saw a young man also taking the test. He had a kind and calm face although he did not look up from his test. Finally the young man stopped writing and pushed his test to the front of his desk. 

Minutes crept by slowly and the boy felt sick in the stomach. He knew he hadn’t passed the test and yet he wanted to go on the camp so badly. He couldn’t help but hope by a miracle he had passed. 

Finally, there was movement again in the room. A figure stood in front of the boy and he looked up to receive his result. To his surprise it was the young man who had sat behind him. His face was still kind and calm but this time he was looking at the boy. He looked with a look that seems to say he knew everything about the boy, including his test result. 

“I didn’t pass, did I?” said the boy. “No. You did not.” The young man answered, with a calm but keen look in his eyes. The boys eyes filled with tears and his bottom lip began to tremble. “Why is there sadness in your heart?” inquired the young man. “I was so hoping to go to the camp. I have heard all about it, and I thought that maybe if I tried my best I could pass and go,” replied to boy. The young man looked sad for a moment before speaking again. “You did not pass. But you shall go.” 

You boy wasn’t sure he had heard correctly. “Go where?” he inquired. “To the camp, of course,” the young man answered. “But I didn’t pass the test,” protested the boy. The young man shook his head with a smile, “No, you didn’t. But I did.” The boy thought this was the beginning of good news but didn’t understand how so he waited for the young man to speak again. “It is a difficult test. The most difficult there is. But I passed, and I have the ability to share my grade with others. My test result becomes their test result. It is as though they passed the test themselves. And in this way anyone who shares my grade may go to the camp… and I am coming too.”

The boys eyed filled with tears to overflowing and this time not for sadness. He was so happy that such a thing as this could be. He was so happy that he could go to the camp he had heard so much about. But something he had not expected; he was even happier to go the camp knowing the young man would be there too.

Together they left the room in silence. The boy glanced at the young man in wonder. Who was this man who could pass such a test? And more than that, would share his grade with others?