By Jon Eckert, Ed.D.
Easter is about joyful celebration that follows the darkest day of suffering in the history of humanity when Christ was crucified. Joy and suffering are intertwined in our experience of Easter.
Joy and struggle are inversely related in that the depth of our struggle determines the peak of our joy.
In James 1:2, we are told to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” As educators, we have a deep calling to help students experience this truth. Our job is to encourage students to grow beyond where they are comfortable. This is not a new concept, as it is the foundation of Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development—the space between what students can do on their own and what they can do with additional support and effort. Effort and stretching beyond what we think we can do is not easy but is rewarding and can lead to joy. Joy is defined as “the state of happiness or felicity.” However, joy is so much richer than this.
The Inadequacy of Happiness
Happiness depends on expectations. If something exceeds our expectations, we are grateful. If something does not meet our expectations, we are disappointed. Our expectations become increasingly problematic as they rise because our opportunities for joy and gratitude decrease, and our opportunities for disappointment increase. Morgan Housel writes in Same as Ever, in the 1950s families were happy with a house, car, $29,000 of which 29 percent went to groceries. In 2021, families are largely disappointed with houses that are a third larger, two cars, $70,000 (adjusted for inflation), and 13 percent going to groceries. As our expectations increase, our space for happiness and gratitude decrease.
Abiding Joy
Joy is more transcendent than ephemeral happiness. Joy is not contingent on expectation. Instead, joy is a stance we take toward the world and others. David Brooks suggests that joy is found on the second mountain of our lives. In his metaphor, most of us climb a first mountain that is for ourselves and our own achievement. We conquer that mountain. He asserts that the second mountain conquers us in that it is a life lived for others.
Joy as Fuel to Struggle Well
The second half of Hebrews 12:2 tells us that “for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.” The savior of the world suffered for our joy. This is the joy that is available to us because of Easter. We can use this type of joy as our fuel to struggle well because joy is also the reward for that struggle. What will we endure for the joy that we have in Christ as we point others toward Him through the work he sets before us? How much greater is our joy when we realize Christ’s struggle on our behalf? This Easter, we can ground everything we do in the joy that comes through struggle.
Jon Eckert, Ed.D., is a professor of Educational Leadership, the Lynda and Robert Copple Endowed Chair in Christian School Leadership, and Co-Executive Director of the Baylor Center for School Leadership.
Dr. Eckert came to Baylor in 2019 with more than two decades of experience in education. He provides academic leadership for the Center and is program director for Baylor’s MA in School Leadership.
He began his career as a teacher and coach of intermediate and middle school students outside of Chicago and Nashville for 12 years. After completing his doctorate at Vanderbilt University in 2008, he was selected as a Teaching Ambassador Fellow at the U.S. Department of Education, where he worked in both the Bush and Obama administrations on teaching quality issues. For ten years, he prepared teachers at Wheaton College.