A For Effort

Remember when I told you yesterday that I didn't do the second section of homework because I found it too frustrating? My teacher didn't collect the assignments. Instead, she recorded the names of everyone who brought in homework to turn in. At the time she recorded my name, I assumed that she was going to collect the homework later, but she never did, and I think I heard her say that she was giving full marks to everyone who had done the homework.

Of course, I should correct her. I should let her know that I don't deserve full marks for the assignment because I didn't complete the full assignment. But I wonder how closely this experience may mirror our future experience at Final Judgement.

I know that God cannot look on sin with the least degree of allowance, but I think I've also heard that sin is wilful rebellion against God. If we try to keep a commandment, but fall into temptation anyway, God may give us credit for how hard we tried, even though we didn't succeed. Naturally, being our own worst judges, we won't feel we deserve any credit, but God, considering our effort, may feel differently.

I did make an honest attempt to complete that assignment, so I don't feel like a total fraud. Still, I plan to inform my teacher about what happened (and what didn't happen) and let her judge whether or not I may keep the points she gave me. If she believes in handing out a few points here and there for effort and honesty, she may let me keep them. If she believes more in justice and fairness, she may revoke the points. Either way, I'll be glad I got this off my chest, and I'll have gained an interesting experience that my or may not reflect my Final Judgement. Will we be held fully accountable for all our sins, or will we be given some credit for the ones we tried very hard not to break? I suppose we'll find out later, but one thing I already know for sure is that God is, and already has been, both generous and fair, if not more than fair.