It was 4:35 p.m. We were getting nervous.

A regional Irish dance competition is an all-day affair, including awards. Typically the dancing ends around 4 at the latest. It was 35 minutes past that time, and the pcg kids still hadn’t danced their last rounds. This wouldn’t have been all that big of a problem had it not been Friday—and had the Sabbath not been about to start at 5:15.

My dance teacher talked to a stage monitor to see if all the pcg kids could dance before that time. We knew how strict dance competitions were, and such a rearrangement as we were asking for was surely a rare occurrence, if it had ever happened before. Miraculously, the stage monitor convinced the supervisors to let our dancers dance at the beginning of the competitions. Everyone could dance! Except for my brother Micah.

You see, everyone else’s competitions were just beginning, so they could dance their final rounds right away. Micah’s competition followed a girls’ competition that had 100 competitors. There was no way the monitor could allow Micah to dance when his division had not yet begun. He wouldn’t be able to dance his last round. He would be disqualified.

I was pretty upset when we left the venue. Micah had worked so much harder this year than any time before! He had looked better than ever on his first and second rounds. This year was his chance to redeem himself from previous regional competitions. Now he was disqualified because the idtana (Irish Dance Teacher Association of North America) staff had let the competitions run late. Not only had this prevented him from placing, but it had also prevented him from qualifying for Nationals.

I tried to comfort Micah as I wiped tears off my own face. If I were in his position, I would have been pretty disappointed and depressed. Eventually, though, it became apparent to me that Micah didn’t need comforting. He was still cheerful, confidently walking away from a competition that almost any other kid there wouldn’t dare miss. Micah seemed almost triumphant, like he had just aced an important test.

Of course! I had been thinking about it all wrong. A mere dance competition is nothing next to God’s Sabbath. I had been looking at this as a great sacrifice for Micah while in reality it was a blessing.

I was reminded of Psalm 119:165: “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” When Micah’s competition ran late, he was given an opportunity to put God’s law first, keeping His Sabbath. Micah had peace of mind because of his obedience. Rather than being downcast, Micah left the competition feeling happy and fulfilled because that is the effect of living God’s way of life.

I learned an important lesson from my brother that day. No matter what you might think you’re missing out on, keeping God’s law is always worth it. When God gives you an opportunity to put His law before anything else, take it and reap the rewards! Be thankful for the opportunity to obey.