“Ma’am, Lila has a cheat sheet,” announced one of her classmates, prompting Lila to wish the ground would swallow her whole in shame.

Feeling super embarrassed and overwhelmed, Lila, a third-grade girl, couldn’t hold back her tears. Her classmates’ giggles filled the room, making her feel even worse. The air felt tense as the teacher stopped the spelling quiz to see what was going on.

“You’re cheating, you’re a cheater,” accused Andrew, pointing an angry finger at her, but another student, Anna, Lila’s friend, quickly came to her defense, insisting, “That’s enough, Andrew. Lila isn’t like that.”

Lila is an intelligent girl, and her friends wouldn’t believe that she could do such a thing.

“What? She has a cheat sheet in her hand, I saw it,” Andrew insisted, trying to persuade his classmates and their teacher. Despite Andrew’s persistence, Mrs. Green, their teacher, remained silent, choosing to handle the situation privately to spare Lila further embarrassment.

As the class dispersed for recess, Mrs. Green turned her attention to Lila, who still had her head down, anxiously hoping she wouldn’t be caught for cheating. I hope Mrs. Green doesn’t catch that I really cheated, Lila thought anxiously, unaware that she had dropped the cheat sheet.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Green discovered the truth when she found a paper beneath Lila’s seat. “Lila, I want you to look at me and be honest,” she calmly requested, holding up the paper with a questioning gaze.

I’m caught, she thought, her heart sinking as she realized Mrs. Green had discovered the truth.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am. This is the first time I’ve cheated. When you told us yesterday that we should get a perfect score today for our spelling quiz, I was afraid I might not achieve it. I struggle with spelling, and I admit I’m lazy to practice at home. So, I thought of having a cheat sheet just to ensure I could do perfectly today,” she unraveled, her voice tinged with regret.

In a gentle but firm tone, Mrs. Green addressed Lila directly. “Lila, I want you to remember something very important. Even if you cheat just once, you’re still cheating. I understand your situation, and I accept your apology. However, I need to remind you never to do it again. Always remember that even if you think you won’t get caught, Jesus sees everything, and dishonesty disappoints Him. It’s much better to earn an honest low grade than to achieve a high grade through dishonest means,”

As Lila walked home alone, she thought about what happened. “If I hadn’t tried to cheat, I wouldn’t feel so bad now,” she realized. “From now on, I’ll do my best without cheating. I’ll work hard and earn good grades by being honest,” she promised herself, understanding how important it is to do the right thing and work hard.