95% A*-C - Record Breaking Results - Bothered?!

This morning I popped into the Academy to congratulate students and find our how our department had done. The Academy has achieved amazing, record breaking results this year. I expect that for some time to come we will be hearing about how our students have improved and where we stand nationally. But does it really matter? Will this really bring true joy and satisfaction?

For some there were big smiles, for others tears of disappointment. There were jumps for joy and there were cuddles of reassurance. You'd speak to some and they'd just be gutted for missing the A* or for not getting the grade they wanted in a particular subject, to them it felt like their life was over.

I remember all too well my first year at Durham, searching along the wall to see how I'd done. I couldn't find my name and was very confused. How my heart sunk as someone pointed me to the board where those who'd failed would find their name. Yes, my name was there, on the failed list. At that moment, I really did feel like a failure, 39% - when the pass was 40%. I had to resit, and in fact I did worse on my resit 37%! Did this mean I was a failure from that moment on? Did this mean that I would never make it in life? Was my life over? Would I have to leave Durham? In 5 years time would I still be known as the girl on the failed list?


What a joy it is that with God we are not saved by exam results! What a delight it is that I am not judged by God on how I do in a particular exam! What a relief that life doesn't depend on exams! How brilliant that successful in life isn't based on our performance. I praise God for this. Seeing the students reminded me afresh this morning, that my life must not be focused on the temporary but needs to be focused fully on our wonderful God and the inheritance we await. We must be so careful not to portray the impression that anything but a relationship with God will bring utter satisfaction and joy in life.

1 Peter 1:3-7
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade— kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith— of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire— may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.