Remember the Sabbath

I have to share a neat experience I had last week with one of the students I tutor at Dream Academy. Kevin is one of the kids I tutor, he is in the 6th grade and attends Mt. Caramel, a Catholic school here on Saipan. I have never talked about anything religious with Kevin, although we have discussed having good character, working hard, being honest etc. We had been working on spelling vocabulary and studying for a test he had coming up, but after a half hour he didn't want to focus so he began asking me questions. He brought up Mayweather and Pacquiao and their recent fight, telling me that he should have bet and won a lot of money. I like to tease Kevin and tell him its not too late to become a Gecko (the SDA school's mascot), but that day rather than telling me how much better the Knights are than the Geckos, Kevin simply said "I don't like SDA. You keep the wrong Sabbath."

I told Kevin that the bible actually says that Saturday was the day God established as the Sabbath and that the Catholic Church changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday.
"No, that's not right because how can they change the day, God chose that day!" was his response.
I didn't have a bible with me but thankfully Kevin had his phone so we could look things up. "Exodus 20:8. Look it up."
We had a short debate about whether or not it was the third or fourth commandment.
 "I am going to win and prove to you that Sunday is the Sabbath and then you will owe me $5! Do you have $5? Ok lets bet."
(I didn't. Wouldn't be fair.)
Kevin found the verse and read it.
"Ok Kevin, now look at your calendar on your phone. What is the first day on there? What is the seventh?"

I could see wheels turning fast. It didn't add up. Where was the proof? He had been so certain it was there in the bible. He was a bit distant after that and jokingly said that it wasn't fair that I was debating with a 6th grader. To be honest, it was a little painful to watch Kevin, who believed something so firmly, begin to realize that there may be no truth to it. Its not easy realizing that you have believed the wrong thing.

My hope for Kevin is that he will begin to look for the answers. I can't be sure of where he will go from here or if he will even explore the Sabbath further, but I am excited to have had the opportunity to have this conversation with him.