Religious Education

What's Better Than Good Grades?

How does God keep score?

By Family altar2 min read

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This is a retelling of a friend's story:

When I was in primary school, I was known as “the smart one.” I did well in school, and people praised me for my good grades. Slowly, I began to believe that my worth came from how well I performed. If I scored high, I felt happy. If I didn’t, I felt like I wasn’t good enough.

At home, life was hard. My family often got into arguments. Because of these problems, I tried harder to be perfect, thinking it would make everything better—only it didn’t.

I learned about God from a friend in school and decided to believe and hope in Him. It was only when I started struggling with more challenging exams that I began to understand God's love. For the first time, I couldn’t get top grades. I felt like a failure.

One day, when I was feeling very sad, I sensed God speaking to my heart: “I love you so much.” I realised that God’s love is not based on my grades or achievements. He loved me even when I was weak.

That changed everything. I learned that I am not my results—I am God’s child.

When I thought I would fail an important exam, God helped me pass so I could move on to the next year. Later, when I enrolled into a new school, the principal chose me not because of my grades, but because of my heart and my experiences.

God also healed my family. My father, who didn’t believe in God before, came to know Him and changed his life. Today, God allows me to help others who are hurting.

Life isn’t perfect; God is. He can use every broken piece of our lives to make something completely beautiful.

Always remember: You are more than numbers on papers. Your true identity is found in God, and He loves you just the way you are.

Family Altar

Use these discussion questions and our prayer as a guide for your family altar.

Parents can lead the prayer and invite their children to repeat after them or encourage their children to take the lead, making family altar time a shared journey of faith.

Discussion Questions:

  • Have you ever felt that your worth depends on your grades or achievements?

  • What does it mean to you that God loves you no matter how successful or unsuccessful you are in this world?

  • How can you remind yourself that your identity is in God alone?

Prayer in Words:

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray.

Thank You for loving us no matter how well or how poorly we perform.

Help us remember that we are Your children,

That our worth comes from You.

When we are worried or start believing we are not good enough,

Remind us of Your love.

Teach us to trust You with our futures,

And find our identities in You.

Hallelujah, Amen.

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