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The Reformation Herald Online Edition

The Domino Effect

Children’s Corner
Obeying the right way

How important it is to do what we are supposed to do! To obey is something that faithful children love to do. It makes us happier and makes life better. That way we stay out of trouble. We know we should obey our parents and others whom they tell us to obey.

But what happens when someone else tells us to do something that is not right? Sometimes friends may try to get us to do something we know is wrong. When this happens, what should we do?

Peter had just done some amazing things in the name of Jesus and by His power. Many people came to him for help and they were healed of their sicknesses. But there was a leader who got very jealous over this and figured out a way to have Peter and the other apostles put in jail for doing those good deeds. But wait a minute—what the apostles had done was good, not bad! So it wasn’t fair for them to have to go to jail, was it?

But how long did Peter and the other apostles have to stay in jail? Not very long! An angel from God came and opened the door of the prison and told them to go right back to the people and talk to them again about the good news about Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.

The officers of the prison were surprised to see that Peter and the other apostles had been set free by a miracle from God. But they were afraid to try to put them back in the jail again since the people of the city would know that would not be fair to the apostles and they might get angry about it. So instead, the jealous leader tried to scare the apostles by talking to them in a bossy way:

“Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name [of Jesus]?” (Acts 5:28).

The answer of Peter and the other apostles was simple: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 5:29–32).

Yes, God is the real One we need to obey. When we obey what He says, He gives us His Holy Spirit and takes care of us. As we read God’s Word and learn about what Jesus says, we will know how He wants us to obey. We will obey God’s word through love to Jesus because He loved us first. That’s the right way!

—By BHM