Playing Favorites

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, September 7.

By Andrew McChesney

N

othing seemed fair the year that Nikita was in the second grade.

Father was a medical doctor, and he had to work far away from the Seventh-day Adventist school where Nikita had gone to first grade on the island of Dominica. So, Nikita had to go to a new school for second grade.

Mother was far away in Cuba, studying to become a medical doctor. So, Nikita could only talk to her by phone — and not every day because Mother was very, very busy.

The problems started during the first week of second grade. The school secretary was Nikita’s older cousin, and she treated Nikita differently than the other children.

When Nikita arrived at school, she didn’t have the dark-brown uniform that all the other children wore. She wore her regular clothes. The school secretary didn’t say anything about her not wearing the uniform.

But several other children also came to school in their regular clothes, and the school secretary noticed. She scolded them, saying, “You always wear the wrong clothes!”

Then Nikita came to school late one day. The school secretary didn’t say anything. But several other children also arrived late, and she noticed. She scolded them, saying, “You always come to school late!”

Nikita and the other children ran and made a lot of noise on the playground before school started. The school secretary didn’t say anything to Nikita. But she scolded the other children, saying, “You’re always making noise, and you are always running up and down!”

Soon the children noticed that the school secretary was scolding them but never scolding Nikita.

“You’re getting away with things,” one boy said. “You can do whatever you want.”

“The school secretary is choosing favorites,” said another.

Their words hurt Nikita, and she didn’t think it was fair. “I’ll get you in trouble if talk that way,” she said.

But the children laughed at her.

“You can’t do anything,” said one.

“You’re too small and weak,” said another.

Nikita told a teacher about what was going on, but the teacher didn’t do anything.

Nikita told Father, but nothing changed. She didn’t tell Mother. Mother was too busy.

After Nikita finished second grade, Father was transferred back to the hospital near the Adventist school where Nikita had gone to first grade. She was so happy!

On the first day of third grade, Nikita ran to Ebony, her best friend from first grade. The two girls hugged each other tightly and began to cry. The tears were not tears of sadness but tears of joy.

Then Ebony pulled back, pretended to look cross, and scolded Nikita.

“How could you leave the school and leave me all by myself?” she said,

Nikita knew that Ebony was joking, and the girls laughed happily.

At the Adventist school, none of the grown-ups showed favoritism. All the children were treated equally and fairly.

The Bible says, “For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11, NIV). That means that God does not love one child more than another. Christians also should not love anyone more than another. The Bible says, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism” (James 2:1). The school secretary had wanted to help Nikita, but she made a mistake in playing favorites. As a result, life was unfair for Nikita in the second grade.

Now, Nikita is 11 years old and in the sixth grade. She is happy to still be studying at the Adventist school.

“I think Ebenezer Seventh-day Adventist Primary School is the best school on the island,” she said.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help Nikita’s school, Ebenezer Seventh-day Adventist Primary School, expand with a new building in Dominica’s capital, Roseau. Thank you for planning a generous offering on September 28.