Editorial

Why be strong?

Do people still read the Mr. Men and Little Miss books, I wonder? They’re still sold in bookstores, but they may not live in our imaginations quite like they did in the '70s and '80s.

Looking back, it's fascinating how these stories encourage us to see people defined by a single trait. Seeing characters as concepts was a playful way to explore identity:

"Am I more of a Mr. Happy or a Mr. Messy?" "My teacher’s a bit of a Mr. Grumpy on Mondays before his coffee." "Reading Mr. Busy reminds me of Mom—except on weekends, when she turns into Mr. Adventure!"

As a boy, Mr. Strong especially caught my imagination. That smiling, red box of strength felt like a model for masculinity. If you remember, Mr. Strong’s “big problem” was that he kept breaking things by accident—like eggs. It’s an endearing flaw, especially when compared to the likes of Little Miss Chatterbox and Little Miss Bossy.

Mr. Strong represented strength, and many boys admired him for it. He’s a curious example when we think about excellence. If strength is a form of excellence, Mr. Strong was a model for physical capability, much like Mr. Clever represents intelligence.

Thinkers like Aristotle and Nietzsche saw virtues like strength and intelligence as inherently good—qualities that didn’t need justification. Who would choose to be weak instead of strong? Or to be less skilled rather than capable? Who would pick sadness over happiness, poverty over abundance, or sickness over health?

Yet, Jesus challenges these assumptions about what makes someone “strong” or “excellent.” Instead of saying, “Blessed are the strong,” He says, “Blessed are the meek.” Rather than praising those who achieve success through good deeds, He says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness.” His words, found in Matthew 5:3-12, invite us to think deeply about what it means to be “good.”

One of Plenty Valley Christian College's values is “Striving for Excellence”—often described as “being the best we can be.” But is that enough? In Scripture, Jesus doesn’t call us to strength simply because strength is inherently good. There's more to excellence.

I believe it’s about why we strive. Building strength just to be better than others is a path that, ultimately, leaves us “last” in the Kingdom of God (Matthew 9:35). But if we strive to become excellent so that we can serve others better, we’re closer to what Jesus describes as truly important.

Your strength isn’t for you. It’s meant to serve and uplift others.

Daniel Symons

Deputy Principal