Can There Be Joy in Duty?
By Bobby Scott, Headmaster
In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch makes his case to a biased, bigoted jury in an attempt acquit Tom Robinson, an innocent, black man. The case seems airtight, and justice should triumph on the basis of simple logic. Atticus’ final words to the jury were, “In the name of God, do your duty!”
Well, that’s not what happened, but Atticus Finch chose to stand in truth in spite of the cultural norms of society.
Standing in the Truth in Spite of the Cultural Norms
We face a similar challenge. Statistics on private, Christian education show a 20% decrease in enrollment over the last five years. Anxiety, even in very young children, is increasing. Colleges report students arriving ill-prepared and unable to engage in creative thought. With all this and more, our need to turn that tide and to be counter-cultural is more important than ever. When we “do covenant” right, the results are amazing. That’s what we love about this school!
Our graduates serve in the work place, churches, the military, and non-profit ministries and organizations. They are a blessing to their schools of higher education, and they have continued to stand for biblical truth in a world that tells them otherwise. Sure, some are struggling, but overall they shine and do “not look out for their own personal interests but also for the interests of others.”
What is our Duty?
Our duty as parents and teachers is not to seek perfection. It is in our brokenness that we best serve our God. Instead we seek faithfulness, and we do not back down from our tried and true methods that bring parents and teachers together to build strength in our students academically, socially, and spiritually.
Our duty in maintaining and building the covenant is not complicated but is completely dependent on the power of the Spirit in us. By the grace and strength of Christ, we must:
Prioritize our marriages
Be vulnerable and teachable in parenting and instruction
Model gratitude and dependent prayer to our children
Stand for justice tempered with mercy and forgiveness
Empty our busy selves to love and be present with each other
This is a new year. We can forget what lies behind and build a stronger future for our families and students.
“In the name of God, let’s do our duty.” Only real challenge will bring pure joy.