Mercy vs. Justice

Yesterday taught me about my Savior's love, and how the gospel really works.
I started off having a really bad morning, to spare you the silly details just little things that happened were getting to me and those little things led me to be late to work which I hate because then the day starts off on the wrong foot.  Well, the school day went very well all things considered- I had an awesome day. However, there were others having a less then awesome day.
During the beginning of 6th period the principal got on to make an announcement.  He proceeded to talk about some bullying issues that were going on in the school and how they were completely inappropriate and "unspartan-like."  The things he was talking about were mostly just small junior high pranks, sticking notes on each other, teasing in the halls, etc.  I am not trying to diminish how much those things can emotionally hurt someone, and how damaging they can be but I'm just trying to express that they weren't huge acts.  Well, my 6th period is an auditioned women's choir full of the most up-standing young ladies you will ever meet.  I could tell that these incidents had nothing to do with them based on the shocked expressions in their faces during the announcements.  To share an example about their character, it was just earlier in the week that I had told them, "Ladies, the principal is coming in to do my formal observation tomorrow-if you could be the most awesome students tomorrow I would appreciate it."  Now, they are awesome students all the time, they just love to talk to one another which can be detrimental to learning.  But, come the next day when the principal came in they were ANGELS.  I could not have dreamed of better students.  These young ladies truly care for those around them. 
Since I knew their character, when the principal asked us to discuss these things further with our students I decided to go a different direction.  When I think of bullies, I think of the root of the problem-they've probably had bad experiences that make them project onto other students.  I talked to my girls (I call them that because I really do care for these, and all my students) about looking out for those who can't always look out for themselves.  I encouraged them to seek out the bullies and instead of ridiculing them for their hateful acts, to try to befriend them and maybe find out why they do the things they do.  Now, some Junior High school-ers are just mean, it's true.  But, others come from broken homes, and bad situations which is what fuels their bad behavior.  I also asked them to look out for those that are being bullied, who may not know there is something taped to their back, or that may not be able to stand up for themselves.
This bulling situation was the first thing in the day that helped me to understand the Savior's principle of Mercy vs. Justice.  The Savior understands us as whole beings, and understands why we may act the way we do.  We can't always comprehend each other and find the empathy and understanding for those who are the causers of pain.  At least in my life, they cause pain because they've felt it.  In the wise words of Kid President, "don't be a bully- it just makes more bullies."
Now, to give some credit back to the students-the majority of them really look out for each other.  One student in-particular comes to mind.  I'll call him Mike.  Mike has a tendency to act out in my class sometimes. He does things to be funny that he doesn't always realize are hurtful.  I've had to pull him aside on a few occasions and help him realize some of his jokes could hurt those around him.  Well, Mike's locker is also very close to where I stand in the halls between classes to make sure no trouble is happening.  There was one day that I watched him stop after closing his locker to walk away because a girl with a locker next to his had had her locker shelf fall down, leaving all her things strewn about in a very busy hallway.  He turned around and helped her retrieve all her things, which really impressed me.  At our school, we have what they call a "caught in the act" award.  Students who are seen doing a good deed are written a slip to be entered in a drawing to win a jamba juice.  I immediately returned to my classroom and wrote one out for him.  I began to understand this student better, that he always means well although it doesn't appear that way.
This leads me back to my second experience that taught me the principle of Mercy vs. Justice.  On my way home yesterday, I was in a major car accident-car totaled (not that it took much to total our old 1999 chevy cavalier with 180,000+ miles on it).  I was driving on I-15, in a 75 mph speed zone.  I was in the left lane, about to pass a semi when the wind blew and pushed me left (the car is very light, it gets 38 mpg so it doesn't take much to push it), away from the semi. Most people have probably experienced the changes in wind and pressure when you drive near a semi.  Well, I tried to correct by steering right slightly, and the wind pressure from the semi sucked me in causing me to swerve tremendously and nick the front step of the semi sending my car swerving left, I tried to correct slightly right, got sucked back in, and the semi tire ran over my right tail light sending me off in the the median, into a ditch, spinning 3/4 of the way around where my car started then heading towards south bound traffic, backwards.  The bumper slammed into the guard rail where the car then came to a stop in the ditch of the median.  I was so focused on trying to re-gain control of the car that I had not realized I had hit the semi at all.  The semi pulled off the road about 1/4 of a mile up and the two gentleman from the semi came running to see if I was okay.  I immediately called Jeff, who didn't answer because he was in class.  I then called 9-1-1 to report the accident.  I called Jeff again, he answered and was on his way. I walked away with literally just a bump on my head from hitting the head rest when I hit the guard rail and high blood pressure-I'll tell this story to lighten the mood a bit.
I stayed after school because there was a district health screening that I attended.  They measured my body fat percentage, cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure all of which were in normal ranges.  Well, when I went to the doctor that evening after the accident they took my blood pressure again. I  had gone from a normal range, skipped the in the middle range, and gone straight to high blood pressure range-I guess a car accident will due that to you (stress causes a raise in blood pressure).
Back to the accident-emotionally, I was much more hurt then physically.  Watching as your car goes out of control on a busy 75 mph highway then spinning off and thinking you're heading into the opposite side of traffic (not realizing in my state that the guard rail was there) where you would be t-boned on the driver's side is enough to shake you quite a bit.  I held it together pretty well until Jeff got there, then knowing I was safe in the arms of my husband I lost it.  I will spare you the details of the police report paperwork and all of that and skip to the point.  How the heck did this teach me mercy vs. justice?  Well, after having this crazy experience that had me very shaken, when I was technically doing everything correctly (not on my phone, maybe going 2 miles over the speed limit, both hands on the wheel), I then had the police officer come and issue me a warning and tell me I was at fault, because I did not maintain my lane which is what caused the accident.  The semi had some damage, but he drove away afterward, my car was totaled, and I was emotionally scarred.  By the law's terms, I was at fault.  Now, I won't make a judgement on what should have or shouldn't have been done in this case, because the officer did what he needed to to fulfill his job and the justice of the law.  Then this morning I had to get up and relive the whole thing dealing with insurances, knowing that it was technically my fault.  That being said, it made me think of my Savior.  Our Savior knows us best, he knows I was trying my best to be a safe driver, and that circumstances out of my control occurred. The law must fulfill justice, but our Savior is a merciful being. I walked away relatively unscathed.  Some may think, maybe because I didn't pray this morning is why I got in this accident.  I think, because I prayed that morning is why I survived the accident with just a bump on my head and sore neck (and of course high blood pressure :D).  The Savior has set up, "guard rails" in our life-we think we may never need to use them-but they serve a definite purpose.  Living by the commandments, however much we may or may not understand them, protects us daily.  Those mistakes that may occur that we don't know are mistakes, or that we unkowningly make, the Savior is merciful enough to forgive us for them.  I love the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I know my Savior lives.  I'm grateful to have walked away from that situation and live to share my testimony of it.