Wednesday, June 11, 2008


This is something that I wrote for my New Testament class. My friend told me it was pretty good so I figured I'd throw it up here for more to read. Let me know what you think.

The Bus
When I was in fifth grade, there was a program that my teacher, Ms. Myer, put together for us. It involved putting the whole class on a bus and driving to the ice rink every second Wednesday for ice skating lessons. Now, ever since kindergarten, it had always been the cool thing to sit in the back of the bus because that way the bus driver couldn’t see the shenanigans that you and your friends were up to. So anytime there was a situation of getting on the bus, it was always a mad dash to see who could get to the back of the bus the quickest.

So there we were, getting ready to get on the bus to go to the ice rink. But on this particular day, for whatever reason, Ms. Myer asked me to help her carry some things out to the bus. I knew that this would kill my chances to get on the bus first since the teacher always sits near the front, meaning that she would be close to the end of the line. But, being the mild mannered kid that I was, I agreed to help.

It’s interesting how your point of view changes by merely sitting somewhere else on a bus. Because I was close to the end of the line, I sat at the front of the bus. Those that are seated toward the front of the bus get off the bus first. Those that get off the bus first get their ice skates first. Those that get their ice skates first get more time to skate. From that day forward, I was quick to ask if there was anything I could help Ms. Myer carry out to the bus.

I would like to compare this little vignette from my life to verse twelve of Matthew 23. “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Those that wanted to be first on the bus wished to appear as the “cool kids” of the class – exalted in the eyes of their classmates, prideful of where they sat. Those that submitted themselves to the will of the teacher received a greater and more precious reward – more time to skate, indifferent to what was thought of where they were sitting.

“So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many called, but few chosen.”(Matthew 20:16)


Where on the bus do you want to sit?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Your writing is eccentric in the best possible way. You took an ordinary situation and turned it into an applicable metaphor. Your fluency, as a writer, makes your works enjoyable to read.