I honestly rarely missed classes in college, but I sat down in my Music 101 class after skipping the 2 previous once-a-week classes.
Which wouldn’t normally be a big deal because I had studied music my whole life— and this class was EXTREMELY easy music theory.
The professor started the class by saying, “Alright, the test scores from your exam in the testing center last week were pretty good!”
My heart sank.
I hadn’t taken any test. There wasn’t anything in the syllabus about this.
I had missed one of three exams that my class grade would be based on.
At the end of the lecture class, I sheepishly walked up to my professor’s podium.
I took full responsibility for my mistake and asked him if there was anything I could do for even partial credit.
He looked at me for a moment…
And he said, “My office hours are from 1-3 tomorrow afternoon. If you can be there, you can take the test in my office.”
I thanked him profusely and took the test in his office the following day.
When I checked my score online a few days later, I saw that I had received 100% on the exam.
I was so grateful for my professor’s GRACE in allowing me to take an exam after the testing period had closed, something that was completely my fault.
But I was also grateful for his JUSTICE in scoring the exam, where I was given full credit for every question that I got correct.
I noticed that in 2 Nephi 9, Jacob praises God for His “mercy and grace” (v8) AND says, “O the greatness and the justice of our God!” (v17)
We praise God for offering us His MERCY when we don’t do what we are supposed to, and feel full sorrow for it.
We praise God for offering us JUSTICE when we are actually doing our best, giving us credit for our intentional good deeds.
Both justice and mercy are the kindest things that our God can offer us, and only He is the perfect example of knowing when to extend each gift.
“How great, how glorious, how complete
Redemption’s grand design,
Where justice, love, and mercy meet
In harmony divine!”
-“How Great the Wisdom and the Love”, Hymn 195
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
