By Melanie J. Knox, Opinion Editor

As I Wish

Members of the Students’ Association who made commitments to the student body and the administration, but shirk those commitments, have lied to their constituents and discarded both responsibility and integrity.

Recent letters to the editor seem to imply that the Optimist has called for SA members to choose between SA and God. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Throughout scripture, we see that the Lord values the heart above the law. In Micah 6, he does not require sacrifice but only to “do justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Surely one thing we have all learned at ACU is that following the Lord is not about “checking the boxes,” in church, Chapel or anywhere else.

I used to be in charge of the opinion page for the Optimist. Sometimes we didn’t make deadline, and I had to miss out on things I wanted to do. Sometimes I had to skip an evening worship service. But no opinion pages last year were ever blank.

The Lord values your promises, your vows, your commitments and your responsibilities more than your ability to sit in a pew. If you can’t keep those promises, don’t make them and certainly don’t sign up for Congress, where you will be called to be a steward of more than $100,000.

Many SA members are dedicated and passionate, as a letter to the editor mentioned. The sophomore class representatives come to mind with that description. Staying for the entirety of a budget meeting is a call to integrity from the Lord.

SA has great potential and can do great things. To the members who stay: thank you for doing your job. To the members who don’t: step up.