Hiding the Word in Our Hearts
At the end of the school year, it’s always satisfying (and sometimes a bit shocking) to look back over the year and see how far we’ve come. Our year-end activities, from Recitation to Greekfest, have reminded me of how blessed I am to work with the students I have. They have shown fortitude in difficult tasks, found joy in learning, and led other students with patience and grace. I even saw a few of my students carrying little ones around all day in the heat! At Pinnacle Classical Academy, we talk a lot about wanting to instill virtue in our students, and I have certainly seen my own students grow in virtue this year. Ultimately, sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, but as educators, we also want to help direct our students towards what is good, true, and beautiful. One of the primary ways we do this at Pinnacle is through Scripture memorization.
If you had the opportunity to attend our Spring Recitation, you know that our students memorize a LOT of Scripture. In fact, we begin every day by meeting together as a school and, among other things, reciting from the Word of God. To many Christians, the value of memorizing the Bible seems like a given. Yet many of us as adults don’t carve out time dedicated to this task. So why does Pinnacle spend so much time on having students commit the Bible to memory?
In the famous “armor of God” passage in Ephesians 6, Paul describes various virtues, like faith, truth, and righteousness, as armor that will protect us when the enemy inevitably comes against us. In this passage, he uses several pieces of armor as illustrations: a helmet, a breastplate, shoes, and a shield. Each one is indispensable for a warrior preparing to do battle. But they are all protective gear. In order to truly fight the enemy, a warrior also needs a weapon. The only weapon Paul mentions in this passage is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” I am reminded of the passage where Jesus is tempted by Satan in the desert. As the devil tries to deceive, manipulate, and entrap him, Jesus responds with Scripture. To Satan’s misuse of the Word, Jesus responds with a true interpretation of the Bible. He is able to do this without hesitation because he knows Scripture by heart.
Elsewhere, the Bible itself tells us that Scripture guides us as a light in darkness and teaches us how to respond to those who ridicule and attack us (Psalm 119). It tells us that the Word is useful for teaching, correcting, and training, not just for the sake of knowledge but so that we will be equipped to do God’s will (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It declares that everything else will pass away, but the Word of God will not (Isaiah 40:8, later quoted by Jesus). What a shame it would be for us to overlook the guiding light for our lives or disregard the Word that will live into eternity. What a shame to neglect the greatest weapon God has given us against our enemy and instead be caught unawares with no way to fight back.
But, you may still be wondering, why memorize scripture at school instead of just at church or in private study? In Classical education, we often talk about how children, especially young children, learn best through memorization and imitation. It’s why we sing geography songs and recite math facts and chant Latin endings. These techniques equip students with tools they can then use to form their own connections, interpretations, and original ideas later on. In other words, they have to have the raw materials before they can build anything. I’ve heard this possession of raw materials called “copiousness,” the idea being that if, through previous study, you have an abundance of true things readily available to you at any given time, you will be able to approach new questions with reason and confidence.
The importance of this copiousness is greater in our spiritual life than in anything else we do. Memorizing Scripture prepares students for life. In Joshua 1, God commands Joshua to lead the people into the promised land. Three times he exhorts him to “be strong and courageous.” In the middle of the passage, He says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.” It is being rooted in the Word of God, meditating on it and hiding it in our hearts, that allows us to be courageous in the face of life’s struggles. If the Bible is the light that guides us, the weapon against our enemy, and the tool that trains us to be who we are supposed to be, we should take it with us everywhere!
Laurel McLaughlin
Upper School Teacher
