No good teacher wants their students to fail. They don’t get joy from using a red pen to mark up wrong answers on tests or poor grammar in essays. Putting an F on a paper is perhaps more disappointing for the teacher than the student. Good teachers want their students to learn, grow, and thrive.

So what is all that red ink for? It’s not there to make me feel bad. It’s meant to help me recognize and learn from my mistakes so I can improve.

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John‬ ‭3‬:‭17,‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

God’s people were getting an F in life. They weren’t prioritizing love. They were selfish, greedy, and ignorant of God’s commands. He sent them plenty of red ink in the form of the prophets, but they didn’t change their ways. They didn’t learn from their mistakes or improve.

So God had to send in the teacher Himself, a tutor to help us study for the final exam. In the end, He took the final exam for us and passed with flying colors.

Because of Jesus, I get a passing grade too.

But I want to keep studying because, while a passing grade may get me in the door, actually knowing the material and learning God’s lessons helps me be a better person and live a better life.

Dear God,

Thank you for not giving up on your people. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for sending Jesus to earn an A+ for me. Teach me what I need to know today to work toward living up to that grade.