One of our members has a son who works for a construction company. This company purchased an older house, intending to demolish it and use the land for other purposes. The construction company gave our friend's son the opportunity to go through the house and look for any valuable items left behind by the previous owners. (The house had been vacant for years.) In the attic, he found a box that contained correspondence, kept by the family for years. There were old holiday cards, receipts, letters, and some report cards dating from 1926-1939. These were from the Corvallis, OR. junior and senior high schools. Two of the report cards, 1934-35 and 1938-39, were of particular interest to me because of the "standard" used to grade the children. There were three areas of concern, and it is these three, with selected points, that comprise this short article.

1. "Study-Habits Mean" - "An aimless trifler." I wasn't sure what trifler meant, so I consulted the American Heritage Dictionary of 1980, and this is what I found: "To deal with something as if it were of little significance or value. To waste time." Sadly, that defines very well the "study habits" of some Christians. How important is studying God's Word? The following scriptures tell us.
   
   
   • "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." (Hosea 4:6)
   • "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
     
     
   In contrast to the "aimless trifler," there was this: "Has a definite purpose in study." That is exactly what we read in 2 Timothy 2:15. Acts 17:11,12 exemplifies the importance of studying God's Word: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believe..." These brethren didn't simply accept the apostles' word, they searched, (studied) God's Word to prove whether they spoke the truth. Many today, even among God's children, are unwilling to do this. They simply do not realize the importance of good study habits. "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14) Study to show thyself approved.
   
   
2. "Initiative Mean" - "Needs much prodding in doing ordinary assignments." Sadly, some who have been Christians for years still need to be prodded to perform ordinary assignments, such as assembling with the brethren. For some, this becomes such a burden that they see the loving "prods" of good brethren as personal attacks. They're so caught up with themselves that they can not see the love that others have for them; nor do they realize the love to be gained from assembling. "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25) Assembling, one of our least assignments, is one for which some have no initiative.
   
   In contrast are those who seek and set additional tasks for themselves. What will a congregation be if every Christian has this kind of initiative? Christians who, without being told, seek out additional tasks; volunteer to teach classes, or deliver lessons; run errands for those who need help; send encouraging notes; help total strangers; etc. For Christians, these are not additional tasks; they are simply a way of life. "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10)
   
   The Christian needs to remember the Lord's words:
   
   
   • "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. ... But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly." (Matthew 6:1, 3, 4)
   • "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." (Luke 17:10)
     
     
3. "Attitude Mean" - "Cooperates willingly when it is in his own personal interest; indifferent." Some who reflect the attitudes expressed in these report cards ask the questions: "Do I have to attend every service?" "Why can't some one else do this job?" "Do I have to do this?" What if Jesus had this attitude toward our salvation? Sadly, many who desire to receive the gift of eternal life are indifferent to the accompanying responsibilities.
   
   Jesus taught:
   
   
   • "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)
   • "All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." (Philippians 2:21)
     
     
   How vastly different is the attitude: "Desires to achieve." That was Paul's attitude.
   
   
   • "... That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. ... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:10-12,14)
     
     
   Paul devoted his life to the One who had given His life for Paul, and not just for Paul, but for all souls everywhere.
   
   
   • "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9)
   • "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." (Hebrews 5:8-9)

Of special interest was the phrase written at the bottom of the 1934-35 report card: "A fine of 15 cents will be imposed for loss of this card." How many of us would want our names "lost" from the "Book of Life?" The "fine" will be eternal. "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)

When I was in school, I dreaded the day the report cards were sent home. How well did I do? What did the teacher say about me? What would be the consequences? Another day is coming, and for many it will be a dreadful day! "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Revelation 20:12) The Word of God is the standard by which we will be judged (cf. John 12:44-50). And know this: there will be no "F's," "D's," or "A's;" we will simply hear: "Come, ye blessed of my Father," or "Depart from me, ye cursed." (Matthew 25:34,41) What kind of "report card" will you receive?