David G. Loomis,
Economics,
Illinois State University
[Nov. 5, 2013]– Universities can be places of quiet desperation. I believe God has put us here to provide hope – especially to those who feel all alone in our academic world. God seems to have a special place in his heart for three distinct populations – the alien, the fatherless and the widow. (See, for example, Deut 10:17-19.) Especially in the culture of the ancient Near East, these lacked a defender or protector. They were economically disadvantaged because of their positions in society– misfits that tended to be hidden, alone in the world except for God.
Disadvantaged Groups
How can we apply this to the academy? First, I think God’s heart for disadvantaged groups calls us to defend their rights. Are there students who are treated unfairly — and who lack any defenders — that we could help? As a professor, I have been able to be an advocate for students who felt that they had been unfairly treated by the university administration or another professor. Many times, I have helped by just explaining to them the process that they should follow to resolve conflicts. Second, we are to love the alien, for we were once strangers to God’s grace. Are there international students that you could love? Is there a way for you to “adopt” a lonely and struggling student from another country? Or faculty…Are there foreign faculty who are not treated fairly in your department?
More Important Things To Do?
Third, Exodus 22:23-24 says that we should not take advantage of the lowly position of the widow or orphan. Are there graduate assistants that we take advantage of because of our position over them? Do we shirk our responsibility to grade our students’ work simply because we have more important things to do? Personally, I hate grading. It is the worst part of being a professor. Besides, it adds nothing to my vita and is invisible to most everyone except my students. Each time I grade, I remind myself that I am being a servant to my students and that there is nothing more important for me to do in that moment. We can think that we are better than others because of something we have done. Or we can try to take advantage of others when we have an advantage – e.g. in the work of a graduate assistant or student. But God says that if we move to exploit the lowly estate of others we may find ourselves (or our family may find themselves) in that same lowly estate. Micah 6:8 is a great verse to commit to memory and summarizes how we should act: “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
© 2006, 2013 David Loomis