The Problem with Circumcision, According to Johnny

Eight graders--apart from being frustrating to teach at times (more about that later, no doubt)--provide plenty of comic relief. A few days ago, I was drawing a parallel between the long wait Israel endured for their promised Davidic messiah and Abraham's wait (in skepticism) to see his wife, Sarah, conceive his promised son.

At this point, I decided to test their general bible knowledge. I asked if anyone remembered what it was that furnished the seeming obstacle [i.e., Sarah's age] to God's promise coming to fulfillment. A lovable student--we'll call him Johnny, to protect his identity--raised his hand in the back.

"Yes, Johnny?" "Um," he stammered, "wasn't Abraham unable to have kids because he was circumcised?"

I, and a few of his classmates, did my utmost to suppress a laugh. A chuckle might have slipped out though. I'm sure he's not going to hear the last of this from his friends.