A Student Conquers the Temptation to Cheat
A Struggle with Temptation”
At school Joe was good in arithmetic but poor in spelling. Mabel was a fine speller and sat opposite him. On examination day Joe forgot many words, and the tempter said, ‘Look on Mabel’s paper; she has them right!”
So Joe copied several, and the teacher saw him. She intended to talk to him after school, for she always thought Joe was honest. Just then the boy who was collecting the papers came to Joe’s desk, and she saw him tear his up, and say, “I haven’t any!”
She knew he had decided to take a zero rather than hand in a dishonest paper. When the school closed, she called Joe and said, “I saw your struggle, and am proud of a boy who conquered temptation.”
-----------The Water Lily
From a sermon by Bill Butsko, "Tempted," 2/20/2010