By Eli Reimer, a senior Bible and religion and peace, justice and conflict studies major from Naperville, Illinois
This week’s theme: From earning to receiving
This week’s scriptures: Isaiah 55:1-9 | Psalm 63:1-8 | Luke 13:1-9 | 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
In high school, I was the sort of student who cared deeply about grades. I checked my grades online at least once a day. If I felt that a teacher had taken even a single point off an assignment unfairly, I would corner them after class. The thought of not turning in a worksheet on time made me nauseous.
Now, objectively, it’s very obvious that this is not a healthy mindset. The problem was, I had tied my worth as a person to my grades. Growing up, everyone was always telling me how smart I was. School taught me that how smart you are is measured by grades—and being smart was all I had going for me.
As it happens, my worth as a person is not tied to my grades. What a revelation! And with that revelation came another—I don’t need to earn other people’s love. And I certainly don’t need to earn God’s love.
Growing up Mennonite, there is a focus on acting out our faith. If I don’t die after saving my persecutor from drowning, do I even deserve God’s love? I don’t know that I’d be an A+ Christian, if we’re being graded on that sort of thing.
This week’s theme is about moving from earning to receiving. We need to learn, and relearn, and relearn again, that we do not earn God’s love. We receive it. Even if we don’t believe ourselves worthy of that love, we receive it. God loves freely.
No matter how hard I tried, I could never get 100% in all my classes. I know that, no matter how hard I try, I will never be the perfect Christian. None of us will. God still loves us.