Brenda attended a prestigious girls Christian boarding school. Many young girls who came from influential backgrounds also attended, hoping to get an education that would provide them a good profession or an entrance into college when they graduated. At this school, Christianity was taught in every subject, with the intention of helping the girls to develop a true relationship with Christ and serve Him in whatever career they chose.
Brenda was intelligent and always very well dressed. She was very talented and outgoing and had great leadership skills. The other girls looked up to her and respected her. Although it was a Christian school, and all the girls had been raised in Christian families, nobody is perfect and the girls still had a fallen human nature to deal with. Brenda was not exempt. Her influence over the others led her to pride. Unfortunately, as often happens with children and teenagers, they are influenced by their peers into doing things they normally would not do if left on their own.
One day as the girls were having lunch, Brenda burst into the lunch room laughing. “Why are you laughing so hard? Please tell us so we can laugh also.” Nancy asked.
“Well,” began Brenda. “We have a new student. And she is the strangest looking person you ever saw. I happened to walk by the principal’s office when she walked in. She had an old worn out suitcase and she came into the office and paid in cash for the year’s study.”
“What is so strange about that?” asked Mary.
Brenda continued, “Oh she has bright red hair tucked into a black net that looked frightful in every way. She was wearing a plain brown dress with no ruffles or trimmings and she had on the shabbiest looking hat and shawl on. You would laugh also if you saw her.”
Some of the other girls smiled, but secretly Mary was not comfortable with what Brenda had just said, but she remained silent as she did not want to be singled out and laughed at either.
Brenda was an only child and very spoiled. She had the best clothing and her father gave her plenty of spending money and she liked to be generous with her fellow students so she was the acknowledged leader among them.
After lunch, when the afternoon classes began, their teacher, Miss Clark, introduced Faith, their new student. “Faith did look odd,” thought Nancy, “just as Brenda had said.” She had a thin freckled face and her hair was brushed straight back and hidden as much as possible under the large black net. She was shy and awkward and seemed uncomfortable among so many strangers.
When the class was over, Faith quickly went back to her room and spent the evening by herself, settling herself in and studying her lessons.
As the days and weeks went by, Faith was seen to be an excellent student. To everyone’s surprise, she excelled in nearly every class. This did not bring the respect of her fellow students, as it should have. Instead they began to feel jealous. How could this homely, poor, girl be so smart? Brenda had been the top student and was not happy to see someone exceeding her, so she began to do little things to annoy Faith, when no adult was looking. Her fellow-students noticed and also joined in with Brenda, not wanting to be singled out. Mary went along, although her conscience again was troubling her. Although she did not participate in the annoyances, she did not speak out against it. She remained silent. Her silence did not ease her conscience, though, and by her silence, she was considered equally guilty.
Faith was made miserable by these annoyances, but she said nothing. She seemed to just ignore it and not let it bother her.
As time went on, with her lessons always perfectly done, Faith made no complaint about the slights and sneers from the other girls. She just kept out of their way as much as possible. Her face, however, grew paler and there were dark rings around her eyes. All this rejection from her fellow students was wearing away her young life. She quietly prayed every night for strength to endure the torment. She prayed for each of the girls also.
One day as Faith was returning to her room in the evening, Brenda and her friends came and surrounded her. They clasped their hands and would not let her go. For a moment Faith begged them piteously to let her go, but they only laughed the more and began dancing around her singing some cruel and insulting words. Only Mary’s heart was not merry as the rest. Mary could take it no longer, she then had the courage to stop, she released her hand from the girl beside her and motioned for Faith to exit. Mary took Faith by the hand and led her safely to her room. She gave Faith a hug before bidding her good night. Brenda and the girls were aghast. Mary had clearly betrayed them. How could she? But Mary’s heart could not bear to see Faith suffer so.
From Faith’s room, they suddenly heard a moan and then a heavy fall.
“I think she fainted,” wailed Brenda.
“What shall we do?” screamed Nancy. “Her room door is locked.”
Mary ran for Miss Clark, telling her that Faith had fainted in her room. Quickly they got the security guard who had a key to every room and they went to open her door. The girls were huddled together in a frightened group, while Miss Clark lifted poor Faith and placed her in the bed. She was in violent spasms.
The doctor was called, and after examining her, he stated she had a serious case of brain fever. It is impossible to describe the shame and remorse the girls felt. Mary wished she had spoken up sooner and helped Faith, instead of remaining silent. None of the girls were brave enough to confess.
Through all her suffering, Faith said nothing of the treatment of the other girls.
No one knew if she had any friends or relatives who they should contact. Miss Clark alone tended to her every day. For many weeks her life was just held by a thread. Day and night, the girls all prayed for Faith, privately confessing their sins to God. But God had a purpose for her life, and slowly she began to improve.
One day, Miss Clark asked her about her family. Faith answered her by saying she had no family. Only one cousin who had a big family and could not financially care for her. Her own mother had died at her birth. Her father died when she was five, and she had been on her own since. For ten years, she had been managing on her own.
“How did you earn your money to attend this school then, and how did you have time to attend primary school?” asked Miss Clark.
“Oh, as soon as I was big enough, I went to work in a factory, and I studied in the evenings on my own. I want to be a teacher. I prayed much, and God took care of me and helped me to work and study. When the school year is over, I will go back and work in the factory over the summer to earn money for the next semester.”
That evening, during evening worship, Miss Clark told everyone Faith’s story. There was not a dry eye in the room. The girls felt terribly remorseful.
“Oh, Miss Clark,” blurted out Brenda, “We have been awfully cruel to Faith. We made fun of her from the beginning and she would not be sick if we had not tormented her nearly to death. I was most to blame. It was I that led on the rest, and we have suffered terribly all these weeks fearing she may die. Mary tried to tell us to be kind. She said we should treat Faith as one of Jesus’ children, but I ignored Mary. You may expel me, or punish me in any way, for surely I deserve it. I have prayed to Jesus for forgiveness, but I want to go and ask forgiveness from Faith, as soon as you let me go see her.”
“My child, I am shocked to hear this. I can scarcely believe that any of my students would treat another young student like this just because they are so unfortunate to be plain and poor. But you made a noble confession and I forgive you as I am sure Faith also will when she knows you are truly repentant.
Soon Faith was strong enough to leave her bedroom and the girls had planned a surprise for her. Supported by Miss Clark, Faith slowly made her way to the hall and into the sitting room. When she opened the door, all the girls were there with smiling faces and sweet songs of welcome. Faith sat down on the big lounge chair surrounded by the girls.
“You have taught us an important lesson we shall never forget,” Brenda said. “Although we treated you badly, you never complained. And you are so willing to accept our sincere repentance which we do not deserve. You showed us the love of Jesus, and we too want to learn that love.”
One by one the girls then came and gave to Faith from their own clothing, their very best. Tears were streaming down Faith’s face. She did not know what to reply. She just thanked God in her heart.
That evening, as Faith was going to bed, she saw an envelope on her bed. She opened the letter and it read, “Dear Child: This is a receipt in full for all your tuition and all expenses that you will incur while you study here at this school. The girls and myself have all made donations in support of your study. We love you and respect you. Miss Clark.”
This was so overwhelming for Faith. Through tears of joy, she prayed and dedicated her life to God.
Over the summer vacation, Brenda took Faith to her home in the country where she could recover fully in the fresh country air.
Faith remained in the school until graduation and graduated with honours, after which she was offered a teaching position in the school. She gladly accepted and proved a great blessing in the school. She took genuine interest in each student and helped them to learn to love and serve Jesus and to develop their individual talents so that they could be faithful servants of Jesus. Many young girls graduated with a firm purpose to dedicate their lives to the service of the Lord.
Jesus said, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Luke 6:31