12 x 12 = 140. Or Not.

An argument had broken out on the playground! From our favorite hideout, my best friend and I watched, wondering what the trouble was this time. Then Darla marched over to us. “Cheyenne, what is 12 times 12? Kylie thinks she knows everything, but she’s wrong.”

Panic froze my brain. As second graders, we hadn’t learned multiplication yet, but I had heard my brother reciting this equation. What was the answer? I had to say something! Faking a confident smile, I said what came to mind: “140.”

Soon Kylie stomped up, arms crossed. “It is not 140.” Her glare injected me with dread. “It’s 144.”

“Well, Hud said . . .” I stopped, confused and embarrassed. I had a feeling Kylie was right, but how could I admit that?

“See! You don’t really know.” Kylie strutted off.

The other girls exchanged uneasy glances. “Well, I believe Cheyenne,” Darla said. The rest nodded.
When Kylie asked the teacher, the whole class found out that I had been wrong. They trusted my answers a little less after that—and I learned that it’s better to admit it if I’m not sure!

You can’t share information unless you really know it, whether math solutions or spiritual truths. Just so, you can’t lead people to Christ unless you really know Him. People will doubt what you say about Him if your actions show you’re not really connected.

I want my words and my life to be trustworthy, leading others to Christ. That means I’ll need to abide in Him—every day!

Your friend,