| Homeschooling, Household Order, and True Religion |
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Ken Auer
Years ago, as I began to realize the huge responsibility in training my children, I began to explore the possibility of homeschooling. The reality was that I was beginning to see that the public schools (as an institution) had no interest in producing godly people, and I didn't want to pay a private school that much money to do it. As I began to explore homeschooling and examine the Scriptures more closely, I began to realize that there was so much more than an "educational choice" that I was making, and God began to show me how far we have fallen from His design. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. Well, a lot of us started homeschooling to keep ourselves, or at least our children, "unstained by the world". Certainly, it was one of the biggest motivators for me to begin considering it seriously a dozen years ago. That is one of the great reasons to do so, but it can be a "reactive" reason. But, homeschooling isn't "pure and undefiled religion". It is certainly an environment where one may have far less opportunity to be stained, but it doesn't solve the problem of a sinful heart any more than the man-made rules of the Pharisees, or even God's law itself (before the Pharisees got to it) cleanses our hearts. But even if we believe we have been successful in using homeschooling as a tool to keep ourselves and/or our children "unstained by the world", James tells us that "pure and undefiled religion" manifests itself in another component: "to visit orphans and widows in their distress". So, what does that have to do with homeschooling?
Well, the answer you might hear is that homeschoolers have "more time to do volunteer service". Perhaps they can volunteer to help orphans or widows through some non-profit organization. Hmmm... perhaps they can. How many non-profits are set up to do that? And, of those that are, how many are set up to do so in a biblical way? Rather than try to answer those questions here, let me take the time to expound on the biblical way.
"A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation." (Ps 68:5) "The LORD protects the strangers;He supports the fatherless and the widow, "You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless." (Ex 22:22-24)And that's the mild stuff. If you really want to see what God thinks of those who neglect or oppress the widows and fatherless, look up those terms and zone in on the statements of judgment throughout the prophetical books of the Bible. Woe to the man who does not take this seriously and abandons his family either physically (e.g. divorce) or spiritually (e.g. neglect of his leadership and protection while still present). Even more woe to the man who takes advantage of those left unprotected. So, what does this have to do with homeschooling? Well, let's go back to Deuteronomy. First, we must love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, and might. Men should teach all of God's commandments and statutes in both word and deed (which must first be on our own hearts). This means we should not only have a multi-generational view, but should be training our families, as the body of Christ, to reach out to those left unprotected. If we look at the rest of the Old Testament we see a nation who was not faithful to God's commandments and statutes. Many of those judgments I mentioned in the prophetical books were executed by God because the men of Israel oppressed the widows and fatherless and did not lead their families, adopting pagan (including Greek) education models instead of Hebrew (biblical) discipleship of their children. As their hearts turned from God, it also turned away from their children... if they were not to provide the spiritual and physical protection and training in their primary relationships, they certainly were not going to offer it beyond their family. At the close of the Old Testament (Malachi 4:6) and the opening of the New (Luke 1:17) the Lord says He will "turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:17, NASB). We are to love the Lord and disciple our families. That does not just mean to teach them the words of the Lord, but the ways of the Lord. It does not mean to renew our heart and mind and try not to get stained by the world until He zaps us to heaven. But rather we are to pour His love out of our hearts in a way that blesses others... "What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?" If you are anything like me, you recognize that keeping your children unstained by the world is difficult, even when you are homeschooling. Now, think about a single parent out there - most likely a mom - whose spouse has either died or abandoned them. How much harder must it be for them? If they believe that they should homeschool their children (for many of the same reasons you do), how many more barriers are in their way. Now, think about how much more freedom you have as a homeschooling family to help them. You make your own schedule. Now, what do you think God would have you put in that schedule? One more academic class? If so, perhaps it should be a class in creative thinking, focused on the following question: "How can we, as a family, practice true religion... to visit orphans and widows in their distress." Note that "visit" here doesn't just mean to drop by and take up their time, but rather to meet their needs. I've talked to several single-parent homeschoolers over the years and their "distress" includes: Time - they have the same amount of time in a day as you do, but they are trying to fill the roles of both mom & dad Money - they usually can't hire help either around the house or to participate in special opportunities... if their child has a propensity for music they may no be able to afford an instrument or lessons Godly male influences - women can't be a role model for their sons... if there is a dad in the picture, he's most likely one that has at least partially abandoned them rather than faithfully fulfill his responsibility Help - Who is going to fix that leaky faucet? paint the house? take care of the children when mom is physically ill or just had one of those days Role Models - Although I have met some godly single parents who have joy in the midst of their distress, I have yet to meet one that wants their children to think that a single parent family is the ideal. They need to see whole families where a father is not only present, but is leading their families as the spiritual heads of their homes. WARNING: This can also be difficult for single parents and their children. Sometimes seeing whole families hurts because they are reminded of what they don't have. Love them to the point that the love they receive overcomes the hurt they feel.If you can't find a single-parent homeschooler to reach out to, it shouldn't be that hard to find a single parent. According to the 2000 Census, 16% of all households are single parent households. I wonder how many of them would love to homeschool, but just don't see a way to do it... and how many others, in their distress, get "stained by the world" looking for help. Homeschoolers, you are doing so many things differently than the rest of the world... it's time to practice true religion. |
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