Honor Among Thieves
To have honor among thieves, it’s important to know the thieves. There were ten or so of us, and we all agreed on two rules that were non‑negotiable. No cheating in Bible class, and no snitching on cheaters… unless you were cheating in Bible class (how beautifully hypocritical).
Yet, despite the obvious contradiction, we rushed headfirst into the depths of oblivion. Our best ideas were forged from every movie we’d ever watched—action, comedy, horror—all the worst influences rolled into one giant catastrophe. It was a spectacle to behold.
Some of us aimed for straight A’s, but as for myself… I mixed my grades between A’s, B’s, and the occasional C just to appear authentic. We went to ridiculous lengths to secure our scores, even recruiting willing friends to aid us in our crimes against the administration.
One time, we hid notes inside our jackets during an oral exam. The teacher never turned toward the student presenting near her desk. Instead, she monitored the class, so we seized the opportunity for an easy grade. We pulled this off for weeks… until one fateful morning she announced we could no longer wear jackets during the exam.
A cold chill ran down my spine on that winter’s day, but as they say… necessity is the mother of innovation. We summoned our mercenaries‑for‑hire and wrote the speech in large print on sheets of paper. The teacher faced the speaker and turned her back to the class. We slipped our papers through the front of the desk with thief‑like precision and passed the exam.
Truth be told… we should earn our grades through diligence and hard work. Shortcuts can lead to failure, a ruined reputation, and even expulsion. Diligence is its own reward.
Months passed, and my senior year was coming to a close. A new reality was dawning on our group of cheaters as our numbers dwindled. Some graduated early; others finally began studying as the beast drew near. College was about to bury me under a mountain of books.
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
John 10:10
