One of the greatest strength of humans is the ability to forgive. To give those who have wronged you or erred another chance to do better.
Two things I’m wondering
How many second chances?
I’m wondering how many second chances we as a society consider appropriate until there’s no more chances. The bible says it’s okay for someone to wrong you 70 times 7 in a day.
Within the legal framework, some laws have something like 3-strike rule. That is, if you’re busted for the same crime 3 times, you get life imprisonment. I guess because it means you’re unrepentant.
More than 50% of people in prison are repeat offenders. Most people that leave prison, end up back there within 10 years. And in some cases, end up commuting bigger crime. A man rapes a 3 year old girl. Why is that man deserving of redemption more than the millions of other people who’ve done nothing wrong?
And then there’s several programs in place to give people second chance. For example, there are programs meant to help ex-convicts get a job. Some scholarships here and there. And so on. Which are all nice. And that brings me to the second thought…
What about zero chance?
I’ve noticed a trend that’s been around since I can remember, especially on social media. We as a people seem to have an unhealthy obsession with redemption arc. Someone who’s done bad things before but we want to save them. And I’m not saying it’s a bad idea. I’m just wondering why we don’t extend such grace to those who haven’t done anything bad.
1. Some years ago, in one of the Nigerian tertiary institutions, video surfaced of what appears to be a girl and a guy being intimate, and it appears both parties were fully aware they’re being recorded. Video trended on social media. The lady was devastated, as you can imagine. Anyway, it didn’t take long for an anonymous philanthropist to offer to sponsor her education abroad.
2. About 2 years ago, someone online made a proposal that they wish to enroll kids that have chosen to indulge in cyber fraud to school on scholarship.
3. As recently as last week, video surfaced online of a lady who verbally and physically assaulted an elder who also happens to be a lecturer in her school. As is the trend, someone somewhere has offered her scholarship to study abroad.
You’ve probably heard or seen these kinda thing happen severally over the years. And again, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. But my concern is, aren’t we being unfair to those who’ve gotten zero chances?
In as a much as it’s good to give the lady in (1) or (2) a second chance at education, what about those who’ve gotten zero chance despite not indulging in such incriminating act? Even in that her school, her set, her department, I’m almost certain there’s at least 1 person there struggling to pay school fees or make ends meet. Why does this lady deserve the scholarship more than those ones who’ve not done anything wrong? Kids chose to indulge in cyber fraud, probably with parental consent. Some kids in exactly the same circumstances didn’t. But it’s the kids that chose crime that deserve scholarships?
Another interesting thing to point out is that for everyone who offers philanthropy as second chance, they have many people around them who’ve not gotten 1 chance. You’re offering to sponsor the education of a lady that assaulted an elderly man for no reason. Does that mean you have not one person around you who needs the scholarship and hasn’t done any harm?
Why does it seem more rewarding to do wrong and be redeemed than to “never” do wrong? Even in the case of the prodigal son from the bible, yes the father accepted him back. But the bible didn’t say he was given another inheritance. The father inferred to the other son that everything he has is his. Because the prodigal son already squandered his inheritance. What we seem to do in this age is to take the “good son” and give it to the prodigal son as redemption.
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