Awhile back I came upon an article titled, “Homeschool Will Not Save Them.” I read it with tears in my eyes, totally understanding that feeling of failure when a child walks away from the faith you worked so diligently to instill in them. But... the article is true.
Homeschooling will not save our children. Raising them with homeschooling as their method of education doesn’t guarantee they will reach adulthood and decide to follow Jesus. So often, when we feel that desire inside us as a calling from God to homeschool, we believe that we know God’s grand purpose: children that will grow up serving and living for Jesus.
And sometimes that doesn’t happen... or it hasn’t happened yet.
I have a prodigal. My heart so loves my child. I felt those feelings of failure when she stopped going to church as an adult and decided to go her own way. I asked myself where I had failed. And my mind could bring up a thousand instances of failure. I was impatient too often. I had a crappy attitude some days. I wasn’t strong enough in the hard times to be a quality example. I wasn’t loving enough. I was too legalistic other times.
My moments of hypocrisy and failures flashed like a neon sign in my mind. Of course she walked away from Jesus, I thought. I didn’t do enough and had failed too often.
But as I prayed about it, that wasn’t what I felt. I don’t think I ever felt that “homeschooling” was a magic formula. I know the only Savior is Jesus. I can confess that I hoped homeschooling would give my child an extra boost in their faith; by protecting her from the influences that would damage her. I hoped give her a steady influx of the Word of God and a Biblical worldview.
I wasn’t perfect. No one can be. I failed over and over. We all do. What I was, however, was obedient. God led me to homeschooling and I stepped into that path trembling and anxious. Over the years, I grew in confidence that this was the right choice for our family, but I failed often.
Life happens. We all stumble at times or face unexpected circumstances that we aren’t sure how to handle. Often we flop miserably in our example and witness for Jesus. It’s reality. But just as homeschooling can’t save a child, neither can I. My example can impact, just as homeschooling can impact, but the Holy Spirit draws people to Himself.
In those years of homeschooling this child, I was repeatedly taking care of my older child that had severe health issues. We fought a custody battle for another child. I had surgery. We dealt with unemployment during the recession of 2008. And just when I thought life was getting back to normal, we found black mold all through our home and another child developed such severe health issues she nearly died repeatedly.
And God didn’t miraculously fix any of it. My older child still battles for health. We won the custody battle, but endured six years of trying to help this child first. It took years to recover from the months of unemployment. We ended up having to leave our home and move when we couldn’t get any help to get rid of the mold that was making our children sick. And the other child with health issues still isn’t well.
My prodigal saw all this. Even worse, she saw how poorly some “Christians” acted, including me. All the reasons for a person to get defeated and discouraged and walk away were there. And, she did.
BUT...
Others didn’t. My other children consist of worship leaders, youth leaders, and pastors. They grew up in the same home. They dealt with similar issues. In fact, some of them were the ones that nearly died or had to be rescued from a bad situation. And today they walk with Christ.
Does that make them stronger in some way than the prodigal? No. The heart of the prodigal was broken, and that impacted her thinking. She made a choice, but she can always change her mind later. I walked away for many years because of similar issues. The Holy Spirit drew me back. It took awhile, but He patiently kept pursuing me until I was back in the kingdom. I believe He will do the same with my prodigal.
God isn’t done. God’s Word won’t return void (Isaiah 55:11). I have to trust that as I pray for my prodigal, God is working. He is going to bring to mind the lessons she learned as a child. The Holy Spirit is going to tug at her heart. And I won’t stop praying for my child to have a complete heart change and give her life to Jesus forever.
I WILL STILL HOMESCHOOL.
God didn’t lead me to homeschooling because it’s a magic formula that will cause my children to surrender their lives to Christ... but it helps. It helps to give them time to study the Bible each day. It helps to talk about different issues that are controversial. It helps to approach different subjects from a Christian worldview. It helps to fill a child’s heart and mind with stories of faithful heroes. Will it guarantee salvation? Of course not! But it helps.
I still have a child at home that I homeschool. I use the same curriculum I used with the prodigal. We have Bible time nearly every morning together. Will she follow Christ all her days? That is her decision. I lead and disciple and pray for her heart to be drawn to Christ all her days. I am obedient to God in trying to give my youngest child a strong foundation for God to build on in His relationship with her.
She could always decide to walk away from Jesus. It happens to homeschooling children, to public-schooled children, to Christian-schooled children, and to adults that have followed Jesus for years. My job is not to believe that my efforts will save my child, but instead be obedient at giving her a foundation. Jesus is the Messiah, not me. My job is also to follow Him, to be obedient to His direction.
I can tell you that, after homeschooling for 12 years, God has done more in my heart through our homeschool lessons than I could ever explain. Perhaps one of His goals isn’t just what He has planned in the hearts and lives of my children, but in my own heart and mind. So many times He taught me and guided me, and often it was a homeschool lesson that was there just when I needed it.
So, for those that read the Homeschooling Won’t Save Your Child article, don’t let it deter you from homeschooling if God led you. Being obedient has fruit, even if the results are not what you expected or you feel like you have failed. Trust that His leading has a purpose. And if, one day, you see your child make a choice that breaks your heart and you feel like a failure or like God didn’t do what you expected; remember... His ways are not your ways. His thoughts are not your thoughts. His plans are greater than you can comprehend. Keep praying. Keep being obedient. And trust that as you battle for your child in prayer and fasting, He is working.
No comments:
Post a Comment