Grace, Mercy and Justice
It can be hard being a college instructor. Earlier today, a student let me overhear that she wouldn’t want to take computer subjects anymore because the teacher was merciless (walang awa). Of course, she backed up by saying she hoped I would be nice to her ‘cause she would be nice to me. It still annoyed me. How dare she ask, nay, demand mercy! I remember a co-teacher say that consideration is the teacher’s prerogative, you can’t ask for it, that’s why it’s called consideration. So it is with mercy.
Sure, I have students who try. They’re hardly absent; they’re pleasant in class; I have no personal problem with them. But I can’t pass students just because of that. You have to prove you deserve it. If you keep failing the exercises, tests and examinations, you really don’t deserve to pass. Do I feel bad about them? Sure do. I feel compassion towards them, I feel sorry for them. I feel mercy towards them. But I can’t pass them just because of that. It doesn’t mean you should pass. The fact is still you deserve to fail so you should fail. You don’t have the right to demand mercy. You don’t have the right to get “another chance”. You failed, that’s it. The same way it is with us and God.
We have no right to ask, much less demand mercy from God. For all that we’ve done against God we deserve to be punished. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) It is God’s prerogative, God’s choice if He wants to give us mercy. He doesn’t have to. We don’t deserve it. But he does. It’s called grace. He gives us something we don’t deserve because He loves us. We don’t deserve it. But God isn’t fair… Good news for us! ‘Cause His favor leans towards those who follow His Son. (Romans 6:23) Good thing our God is God!
But as a college instructor, I am not at liberty to dispense grace. I have a responsibility to the community, the world, if you will. I have the responsibility to tell them how much the student proved he learned about the subject by giving the appropriate grade, not allowing the student to say he has proved he learned enough about the subject (by giving him a passing grade) when the truth is he hasn’t, thus deceiving others who may need their knowledge about the subject, knowledge they might not have enough of. And if they had not proven they learned enough, they have to take the course again, so that they can learn more. Plus it wouldn’t be fair to those who really tried hard if those who hardly tried or just clowned around or took it easy got the same thing they got. That’s justice.
It’s not like I leave them to fend for themselves during the semester. I tell them at the beginning of the semester that if they need help, for something they don’t understand or any other problem, they can ask questions during the lecture or they can approach me outside the class. Few ever do. It’s an open invitation few ever take advantage of. Probably because they didn’t take the invitation seriously, they didn’t consider it, took things for granted, probably not even listening, or they forgot about it, or they weren’t even present in class when I said it and they didn’t even bother to ask about it. That’s not my fault. Ignorancia legis excusat neminem. Ignorance of the law excuses no one.
Take note that the offer for help is only available during the semester. During. Not after. Once the semester is over, that’s it. The problem with most students is that they only start caring about the results of their actions when the results are out. They don’t even bother to anticipate the consequences of their actions; it’s either they don’t think about it, or they have some groundless hope that they will still pass even if they don’t deserve to. They have no regard for what will happen at the end. They just do whatever they want to do in the present. No sense of responsibility.
Some try, a little here and a little there. Hardly enough though. How can I say so? If it was enough, they would have passed. Also, they did not exhaust all their possibilities. For one thing, they didn’t come to me for help. I would have been willing to, if they came to me. They shouldn’t expect me to approach them if they’re the ones in need; I have so many students, it would be physically impossible for me to tend to each of their needs. I help those who come to me when they ask for help. A valuable resource students could have taken advantage of, but like I said, few ever do
And God has similar laws. God only dispenses His mercy and grace to a person if the person asks for it, and only while the person is still alive. It’s a great thing that isn’t so hard to get, but few ever do. Just like some of my students, for one reason or another, lack of awareness, apathy about it, or plain irresponsibility, they just let a great and important opportunity pass them by. They just live for the present, no regard for the future, the life after death. And when their lives are over, and they get to see the result of their actions, they want grace, they ask for mercy. Sorry, but that’s too late. That’s justice. God is gracious, and God is merciful, but let’s not forget that God is also just.
We all have a golden opportunity God extends to us while we are still alive. Let’s not let it pass us by just because of ignorance, apathy, irresponsibility or any other reason. Learn more about God’s laws. It’s in the Bible. Lest we bear the consequences of our actions.
A saying says, “Justice must tame whom mercy cannot win.”
We have no hope with justice; we deserve to be punished because of our sins. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) So let’s seek God’s mercy and grace while we still have the chance. How? The answers are in the Bible. Read it while you still can. Because unlike my students, they know when the semester will end, you don’t know when your life will end. And if they fail the subject, they can repeat it the next semester. You, on the other hand, only have one life. No take two’s.
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”
- Hebrews 9:27
(Originally written 2001, October 30, 11:24 pm)
Sure, I have students who try. They’re hardly absent; they’re pleasant in class; I have no personal problem with them. But I can’t pass students just because of that. You have to prove you deserve it. If you keep failing the exercises, tests and examinations, you really don’t deserve to pass. Do I feel bad about them? Sure do. I feel compassion towards them, I feel sorry for them. I feel mercy towards them. But I can’t pass them just because of that. It doesn’t mean you should pass. The fact is still you deserve to fail so you should fail. You don’t have the right to demand mercy. You don’t have the right to get “another chance”. You failed, that’s it. The same way it is with us and God.
We have no right to ask, much less demand mercy from God. For all that we’ve done against God we deserve to be punished. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) It is God’s prerogative, God’s choice if He wants to give us mercy. He doesn’t have to. We don’t deserve it. But he does. It’s called grace. He gives us something we don’t deserve because He loves us. We don’t deserve it. But God isn’t fair… Good news for us! ‘Cause His favor leans towards those who follow His Son. (Romans 6:23) Good thing our God is God!
But as a college instructor, I am not at liberty to dispense grace. I have a responsibility to the community, the world, if you will. I have the responsibility to tell them how much the student proved he learned about the subject by giving the appropriate grade, not allowing the student to say he has proved he learned enough about the subject (by giving him a passing grade) when the truth is he hasn’t, thus deceiving others who may need their knowledge about the subject, knowledge they might not have enough of. And if they had not proven they learned enough, they have to take the course again, so that they can learn more. Plus it wouldn’t be fair to those who really tried hard if those who hardly tried or just clowned around or took it easy got the same thing they got. That’s justice.
It’s not like I leave them to fend for themselves during the semester. I tell them at the beginning of the semester that if they need help, for something they don’t understand or any other problem, they can ask questions during the lecture or they can approach me outside the class. Few ever do. It’s an open invitation few ever take advantage of. Probably because they didn’t take the invitation seriously, they didn’t consider it, took things for granted, probably not even listening, or they forgot about it, or they weren’t even present in class when I said it and they didn’t even bother to ask about it. That’s not my fault. Ignorancia legis excusat neminem. Ignorance of the law excuses no one.
Take note that the offer for help is only available during the semester. During. Not after. Once the semester is over, that’s it. The problem with most students is that they only start caring about the results of their actions when the results are out. They don’t even bother to anticipate the consequences of their actions; it’s either they don’t think about it, or they have some groundless hope that they will still pass even if they don’t deserve to. They have no regard for what will happen at the end. They just do whatever they want to do in the present. No sense of responsibility.
Some try, a little here and a little there. Hardly enough though. How can I say so? If it was enough, they would have passed. Also, they did not exhaust all their possibilities. For one thing, they didn’t come to me for help. I would have been willing to, if they came to me. They shouldn’t expect me to approach them if they’re the ones in need; I have so many students, it would be physically impossible for me to tend to each of their needs. I help those who come to me when they ask for help. A valuable resource students could have taken advantage of, but like I said, few ever do
And God has similar laws. God only dispenses His mercy and grace to a person if the person asks for it, and only while the person is still alive. It’s a great thing that isn’t so hard to get, but few ever do. Just like some of my students, for one reason or another, lack of awareness, apathy about it, or plain irresponsibility, they just let a great and important opportunity pass them by. They just live for the present, no regard for the future, the life after death. And when their lives are over, and they get to see the result of their actions, they want grace, they ask for mercy. Sorry, but that’s too late. That’s justice. God is gracious, and God is merciful, but let’s not forget that God is also just.
We all have a golden opportunity God extends to us while we are still alive. Let’s not let it pass us by just because of ignorance, apathy, irresponsibility or any other reason. Learn more about God’s laws. It’s in the Bible. Lest we bear the consequences of our actions.
A saying says, “Justice must tame whom mercy cannot win.”
We have no hope with justice; we deserve to be punished because of our sins. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) So let’s seek God’s mercy and grace while we still have the chance. How? The answers are in the Bible. Read it while you still can. Because unlike my students, they know when the semester will end, you don’t know when your life will end. And if they fail the subject, they can repeat it the next semester. You, on the other hand, only have one life. No take two’s.
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”
- Hebrews 9:27
(Originally written 2001, October 30, 11:24 pm)
