The student and justice…

I spoke with a student today about his studies and how they were going. He admitted it was quite challenging, with a lot of homework and strict requirements on how everything had to be submitted (very specifically) and at the right time. If it didn’t meet these criteria, it wouldn’t be accepted and was labeled as ‘not submitted.

There was a kind of fire in his response, so I asked him what the actual problem was. Was it the study itself, or something else?

And his answer was the following:

I have to stick very precisely to the rules, and if I don’t, there are huge consequences. But the school also has rules. If I submit on time, they are supposed to give me a grade and feedback within 7 days. I need that to move forward.

But that almost never happens. I have to meet all the deadlines, but they don’t. Usually, we don’t hear anything, and when we ask about it, we’re met with angry looks because they’re so busy. The same goes for the format in which they need to provide me with the information I need to study. It’s really a mess. There’s absolutely no standard format, even though that was agreed upon, and I need it to study properly. For me, there are rules and consequences; for them, there are also rules, but no one follows them. I find that unfair.

That made me think. Those rules aren’t there for nothing. Both for the student and for the teacher. If one person has to follow certain rules and they’re not followed, how is that fair?

Many people cry out to God, asking Him to do something for them. After all, the Bible says ‘xyz.’ (And then, a Bible verse is usually taken out of context, but that’s another topic.)

When I ask them if they are following the clear guidelines that God has set out to protect us from ourselves and other troubles, it goes quiet… because we don’t follow them. Today, serving God well? No, not necessary today. Too busy, too busy. (Deuteronomy 6:5) A little lie for our own benefit? That’s fine, right? (Exodus 20:16), and so on, and so on…

We aren’t here for God; we often only call on Him when things are going badly. But do we also do what He asks us to do? Or does God have to be some kind of magic genie who’s always there for you, but you’re not there for Him, and you don’t follow His rules? How just will God find your behavior? Something to think about…