Login / Signup

Free Access

Justin's Dilemma

Children's Story
Justin sighed. It was time for yet another rugby lesson, and he hated playing rugby. He didn't really like any kinds of sport, but rugger was worse than most. It felt to Justin much like a glorified punch-up, and he didn't like to fight.

Justin came from a gentle home. His mum and dad were quiet and thoughtful people, and there was a real sense of harmony at home. Justin rarely heard anybody shout, and there was never any question of hitting each other. Justin was always glad to reach home, for he much preferred home to school. School was noisy and often violent, especially when they were forced to play games like rugby, or when an argument arose in the playground and the boys started to fight.

On such occasions, Justin would make himself scarce. He would keep well out of the way as his parents had suggested, and he would stay clear until tempers had settled and the playground was once again under control.

But perhaps today's rugby lesson wouldn't be quite so bad, for the teacher had been called away and the boys were to get on by themselves. That meant that Justin could avoid the lesson altogether and skulk about on the touchlines until it was time to go in again. He'd probably be freezing cold by then, but at least it was better than having to endure the scrum.

While the rest of the class were getting stuck into the game, Justin hung about at the edge of the pitch, amusing himself by watching a trail of ants and wondering how many ants there were per square foot of field. Justin enjoyed natural history.

His reverie was broken by raised voices. Despite himself, Justin looked up. For a moment, all he could see in the centre of the field was a circle of tangled arms and legs. Then, as the scrum broke loose for a moment, Justin spotted a small boy on the ground. He recognised him instantly as Patches, the most unpopular boy in the class.

Patches was a pain to everyone who knew him, and was mostly avoided. Justin automatically avoided him because he was often the centre of trouble, and Justin never wanted to get involved. Other people disliked him because Patches was always rather full of himself, and not very trustworthy.

Now Patches was on the ground, and six or seven boys were top of him. At first, Justin thought it was just part of the game, but then he noticed a fist which thumped into Patches and evoked a howl of pain.

Justin felt trembly inside. He could feel his legs beginning to shake, and he wanted to run away and hide. For all the boys were at it now, kicking and punching and hitting and scratching, and Patches was curled up into a little ball trying vainly to defend himself.

Justin didn't know what to do. He didn't even like Patches, and it wasn't his fight, so surely the best thing would be to go away as he always did until the trouble was over. Besides, Justin had no idea how to fight, so he didn't think he'd be much help to anyone.

But try as he would to turn away, Justin was drawn again and again to that figure on the ground. Almost without knowing what he was doing, Justin found himself tearing across the field. Without stopping to think, he flung himself into the scrum and began to punch and kick at the nearest attacker. Such was his force that the boys were taken by surprise, and with a few good shoves Justin had soon cleared the whole pack. He reached out a hand and helped Patches to his feet, then took him quietly back into school.

But as they made their way off the pitch, Justin knew he'd made himself some real enemies for the first time in his life. And he heard the boys mutter, "We'll get you for this, Justin Carter." Justin knew his school life would never again be the same, and that his days of sitting on the sidelines watching the action were over. A large part of him regretted what he'd done, because he'd always enjoyed keeping out of the way. But another part of him knew he couldn't have done anything else, for there are times when evil must be faced even at the risk of losing a lovely way of life.

And on balance, although it wasn't easy, Justin decided he'd probably done the right thing. He didn't much look forward to the future, but he had a feeling God would be with him and whatever happened, he'd be all right in the end. And despite his fears and anxiety, Justin suddenly felt very content.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Nazish Naseem
Mary Austin
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
For October 12, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 29:1,4-7

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
As he entered a village, ten men with a skin disease approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (vv. 12-13)

“I wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole.”

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message is a role-play story. If you have enough children, you could have them play the roles of the ten lepers. However, for the most fun, I suggest planning ahead and recruiting ten adults from your congregation to play the roles.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott

Call to Worship:

Jesus healed ten sick people, but nine of them were only interested in themselves and their own condition. Just one was able to look beyond his own concerns and say thank you. In our worship today let us look beyond ourselves and see God.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are consumed by ourselves and fail to really care about other people.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we focus so intently on ourselves that we forget to say thank you.
Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Easter 6, Cycle A for an alternative approach to vv. 8-20.)

Schuyler Rhodes
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (v. 10). "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). These two powerful statements reveal for us the inadequacies of the translation process of the English language. These two juxtaposing passages reveal only a tiny fraction of the contradictions and conflicts found within our holy Word. No wonder people have trouble reading and understanding.
Scott Suskovic
"... suffer as I do" (2 Timothy 1:12).

It was in 1965 that the Rolling Stones recorded the song, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction." Even today, over forty years later, we are still saying the same words and feeling the same emptiness of trying and trying, but getting no satisfaction. Commercials promise it with whiter teeth and fresher breath. Wall Street promises it with higher returns. Soap operas promise it with a dynamic love life. Yet those who have conquered each of those summits come up with the same cry, "I can't get no satisfaction." Can you?

Stephen M. Crotts
Have you ever had this experience? You walk into a dark room to do something, flick on the light switch, and nothing happens. I suspect a lot of our Thanksgivings are like that. Thursday late in November rolls around and suddenly it's Thanksgiving! So everybody gives thanks! But quite often the gratitude is just not there. Like the light switch, we reach for it at the appropriate time and it won't work. It's burned out.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
Once there was a wise king who died. His son, who was young and rather brash, came to the throne and after only two months ordered a review all of his father's appointments. He called in the royal secretary, the royal treasurer, and the viceroy for interviews. He found them all to be unworthy and sent them into exile with only the shirts on their backs. Next he decided to interview the local bishop. A courier was sent to the bishop's residence with this message: "You are to report to the palace and answer the following three questions: 1) What direction does God face? 2) What am I worth?

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL