Grades! They are so scary. One number has a huge impact on how others view us and how we view ourselves. And there are always the horror stories. The ones where one bad Grade destroyed a life. So, we, as students, fear Grades, place our value in Grades, and decide our futures based on Grades.
One of my teachers this semester encouraged all of her students to have a “Growth mindset”. She did not Give us Grades all semester but rather gave us critique and told us that if we completed everything to the best of our abilities that she would Give us the Grade we worked for.
It made me wonder about the stress I’ve felt since high school to Get Good Grades. What was even the purpose of all of that? The purpose of learning and working hard is to achieve Growth and Goodness. Why? Because that will ultimately Glorify the One who matters.
But, there is another G-word. No, I am not talking about God just yet. Not Gold. It’s a word that always has had a special meaning for me. Grace. It is a magical word. It has magical powers. It has the power to reimagine how we view life and ourselves. When we begin to accept the Grace that has been Given to us, we can begin Giving this Grace to the people around us, our teachers, our families, and ourselves.
I’m learning that to do Great I need to start by being Grateful for the Grace that leads to the Growth and Goodness in my life that has been Given by the God who is worth far more than Gold and who I hope to Glorify.
So, in this season of Thanksgiving, maybe it’s time we started being Grateful for the Grace that forever is freeing us.
Whether you end this semester with a 4.0 or a 2.0 or anything in between, remember the most important G. God. He cares about us Glorifying Him every second of our lives. So, we can have the freedom to work hard for Him and not just for ourselves.