Earning the A

 “Why?  Why can’t I just use ChatGPT?”

My student was frustrated as I was making him do each step and ensuring complete understanding of the math skills as he went.

“But David did!  And he got an A on his homework and is just playing around.”

I looked him in the eye and slowly said, “You aren’t David and he’s not in my class right now.  But I know you are going to be using these skills over and over for the rest of your math classes.  Students who miss out on this are cheating themselves out of what they will actually need.”

He grumbled and sighed and we went back to work.

He is right though.  Sometimes we look around and see others who appear to be coasting, cheating, partially keeping covenants or stepping away from them entirely.  

While we are commanded not to judge, these very human feelings bubbling up can happen.  

We want it to be fair.  We want the fun part right now.  We want to feel unified. 

There is a verse in our Come Follow Me readings this week that reminds us to keep a long view. 

D&C 59:23 promises, “But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward⁠, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come”.

LEARN.  That word stuck out to me.

Heavenly Father knows that we have to be reminded.

That we have to be taught.

That delayed gratification is a principle we have to master one step at a time.

And that just because we don’t see the blessing dangling in front of us at the moment doesn’t mean it’s not waiting around the corner.  

Like it was for my student who pounded ferociously on my door a couple of weeks later.

“Mrs. Potter! Mrs. Potter!! Look!”

There on the top of the math test he was proudly holding up was a big letter A! 

“Take that ChatGPT!” I said with a smile.

He laughed and walked down the hall with his head held high.