A Quiet Heart…

“I want my child to be like Christ, not the crowd.” ~Voddie Baucham

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Socialization:  the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group (or society) and behave in a manner approved by the group (or society). According to most social scientists, socialization essentially represents the whole process of learning throughout the life course and is a central influence on the behavior, beliefs, and actions of adults as well as of children. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

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The process by which an individual learns to…behave in a manner approved by the group.  And yet, in contrast, God’s Word repeatedly warns us against that very thing:

• “Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: ‘Learn not the ways of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity.” ~Jeremiah 10:1-3

• Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” ~Romans 12:1

• “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ! – assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” ~Ephesians 4:17-24

• “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” ~Titus 2:11-12

• “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” ~James 4:4

• “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” ~1 John 2:15

• “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” ~3 John 11

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In the classrooms and on the playgrounds of the public schools, children learn to adjust their behavior to that of their peer group.  Children are surrounded by sinful behavior:  dishonesty (cheating, lying), disrespect for authority, immodesty, offensive language (this can run the gamut from cussing to unacceptable topics of conversation), inappropriate relationships.  This behavior has become commonplace.  (And, this list doesn’t even address the more sensational issues of violence (fights) among students, gang recruitment and activity, volatile race relations, school shootings, student-teacher relationships, drug and/or alcohol use, sex “education,” and the presence of the homosexual agenda.  All of which are beginning to occur with greater frequency.)

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This is the behavior to which my child is supposed to adjust?  This is the group that is supposed to dictate the acceptability of my child’s behavior, attitude, speech, wardrobe, and entertainment choices?

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No.

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“Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” ~1 Corinthians 15:33

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I realize that I cannot protect my child(ren) from every single instance of sin and corruption in the world, as much as I might want to.  Simply walking out the front door of our home may offer my child a glimpse of an immodestly dressed woman.  Children at the park or library may be using words that we deem offensive and inappropriate.  Even at church, my child(ren) may see examples of disrespect and disobedience.  And sadly, even in our own home, my child(ren) may witness my own laziness, or a lack of respect or submission to my husband. 

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“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning….No one born of God makes a practice of sinning.” ~1 John 3:8-9

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This is a fallen world.  Sin, and the accompanying temptation is everywhere.  I cannot protect my child(ren) from that reality.  I do, however, want to do all I can to protect, and yes shelter our child(ren) from continual and constant exposure to sinful and ungodly behavior.

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“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” ~James 1:27

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I am not saying that children should not develop friendships with other children (saved or not) of similar age.  I simply do not believe that surrounding them, for several hours a day, with a similarly immature, foolish, and often unsaved peer group is the best way to keep them “unstained from the world.”

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“Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.” ~1 John 3:13

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“Fitting in” with their peers is not high on my priority list for my child(ren)’s education.  I do not particularly want them to fit in with their unsaved peers.  I do not believe that it is necessary, or advisable, or biblical to allow our children to “experiment” with various forms of worldliness and ungodliness in order to be accepted by their peers.  I want my child(ren), especially as they come to repentance, and follow Christ as their Lord and Savior, to be distinct from the world.  I want them to be different. 

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“Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.” (Proverbs 20:11)

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Often, I think we forget how impressionable, how susceptible, how easily influenced our children are.  What relationships are having the most influence on our children?  Whose behavior do they imitate?

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We, as parents must teach them that God’s Word, not culture, not society, not the opinion of man (their peers), is the ultimate, and final authority on acceptable behavior.  That is the standard to which they must learn to adjust and conform.

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I want my child(ren) to be like Christ…not the crowd.

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“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” ~1 Corinthians 11:1

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This is part 4, of a multi-post “series.” Need to catch up? Follow the links below:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” ~Psalm 1:1-2

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That is an admonition that must be taken seriously.  Scripture clearly speaks to the company we keep.  There are multiple warnings about the type of people with whom we should (and should not) surround ourselves. Each of us becomes like the people with whom we associate.

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We cannot intentionally place our children under “the counsel of the wicked,” “in the way of sinners,” and “in the seat of scoffers” day after day, for the majority of their waking hours, and expect that they will grow to meditate and delight in God’s Word.

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Education is far more than passing on facts and trivia, devoid of religious, moral, and ethical implications. 

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In sending a child to school, parents must recognize that they are surrendering to the teacher full parental authority over the child.  The teacher acts en loco parentis (which is to say, “in the place of the parent”).  “This is full parental authority, not merely the right to convey information and repackage heads.  A teacher, therefore, must have full parental authority during the hours the child is under his discipleship to guide him and respond to him on all levels….Because education is parental, authority must be total; because education is total, authority must be parental.” (Back to the Black Board, pg. 80)

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Jay Adams, the author of the above quote, was speaking of this authority being willingly given within the context of Christian schools, which employ Christian teachers, and utilize a curriculum which operates within the parameters of a biblical worldview.  He goes on to say “Parents must be taught this fact when they enroll their children in a Christian school, should be fully informed about the implications of it, and must intelligently assent to it.  They must be encouraged to let Christian teachers counsel, train, discipline, and teach values, beliefs, habits, and attitudes as well as facts about mathematics, history, etc.” (Back to the Black Board, pg. 80)

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With one slight, but significant change – the removal of the word “Christian” – the government agrees with Dr. Adams.  However, the implications are frightening when that authority is handed over to an educational system that does not share a parent’s biblical convictions and worldview:

In 2005 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found in Fields v. Palmdale School District “that the Meyer-Pierce right [of parents to direct the upbringing of their children] does not exist beyond the threshold of the school door.” 
You read that right. Parental Rights “[do] not exist beyond the threshold of the school door.”
“We conclude that the parents are possessed of no constitutional right to prevent the public schools from providing information on the subject [of sexuality] to their students in any forum or manner they select.” (ParentalRights.org)

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Parents must realize that, when they enroll their children in a school – public, private, Christian, or secular – they are giving over their God-ordained parental responsibility to “counsel, train, discipline, and teach values, beliefs, habits, and attitudes.”

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The fact is unavoidable, education is discipleship.

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A disciple is “a person who is a pupil or adherent of the doctrines of another; a follower” (Dictionary.com).

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“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Luke:6:40

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The question is, who is discipling our children? 

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“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord…” ~2 Corinthians 6:14-17

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In light of this passage, how can I, as a believer, yoke myself to, partner with, share, or “delegate” the spiritual, intellectual, and moral training and instruction of my child to a system of unbelievers? 

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I realize that some of the teachers at the local public schools are Christians.  However, the core and content of the curriculum which they are required, by law, to teach is not. 

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But, isn’t all truth God’s truth?  Yes.  However, not all that is called truth is truth: 

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“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” ~Isaiah 5:20

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Scripture unequivocally says “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1).  This did not happen by random chance, over millions of years.  This took place in 6, literal, 24-hour days.  “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:11)  But, which is taught today, as fact, in public school classrooms?

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Scripture also calls homosexuality an abomination.  In Romans 1, God makes clear that this sin is “contrary to nature.”  “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (Romans 1:26-27) However, a top educational advisor to the current presidential administration is the founder of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).  This is an organization which seeks to promote “tolerance” among students of the gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual lifestyles.  It seeks to place resources (some of their book recommendations are for children as young as pre-school) in school classrooms and libraries, to help students understand, tolerate, and accept these deviant choices as normal and natural. 

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Suppose with me for a moment, that I do turn over my parental authority, and with it the responsibility of training and instructing my child to the teachers at the local public school. 

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I would, of course, tell my child to “Listen to your teacher. Respect your teacher. Obey your teacher.”  What happens when the day comes when that same teacher presents a lesson on evolution, or tolerance of homosexuality, or a distorted (but, “politically-correct”) version of history?  Must I now tell my child that their teacher is a liar, and not to be trusted in this area?  But, I will be contradicting my earlier admonition to listen to, respect, and obey.  However, if I do not attempt to address these errors, I am allowing my child to be taught, as fact, a view that is contrary to Scripture, thus calling God a liar.

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Or, like many parents, I would tell her, “Study hard. Get good grades. Be a good steward of your mind and your education.”  But, in that course of study she is taught evolution as fact, or homosexuality as natural and normative.  And, in order to receive a passing grade on the exam, she is required to answer questions affirming the truth and validity of those so-called “facts.”  Do we allow her to potentially fail an exam, thus jeopardizing her academic standing, and risking future scholarship opportunities?  Or, do we allow her to “compromise” – in effect, lie – in order to get the grade?

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“Yes, I know God is everywhere.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  He certainly owns those public school buildings.  But God isn’t honored there.  He isn’t worshipped there.” (The Children Trap, pg. 27)

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“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” ~Colossians 2:8

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I do not want my child(ren) taken captive.  I do not want her imitating and conforming her life to the empty, secular, humanistic, and yes, anti-Christian thinking and examples that are propagated in public school classrooms.

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Did I just say anti-Christian?  Yes, I did.  But, why?

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“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” ~Proverbs 13:20

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“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Proverbs 1:7

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What is a fool? According to Scripture, “The fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God.’” (Psalm 53:1)  And, an educational system that removes, or worse, denies God is not education – it is pure foolishness.  And it is not Christian.

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Does this mean that children cannot learn from classic works of literature, or secular authors, scholars, scientists, or philosophers?  No.  Their lives and works should be both studied and considered.  But, they should be through the filter of a biblical worldview.  God’s Word must be the plum line which determines the truth of the statements and observations made.  Variation from this standard must be noted and addressed, with careful attention given to the correct, biblical response.

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Sadly, most Christians do not live as though every educational component has a religious or theological foundation.  This is only to their detriment.

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“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.” ~1 Timothy 6:20-21

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“…Our educational choice has to be based on the fact that God cannot and must not be ignored in the process.  Any educational system that denies the existence, preeminence, and primacy of God is in violation of this biblical principle and is detracting from, rather than contributing to, the discipleship process.” (Family Driven Faith, pg. 123)

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To be continued…

Part 1

Part 2

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“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” ~Albert Einstein

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Educate, v.t. [L. educo, educare; e and duco, to lead.] – To bring up, as a child; to instruct; to inform and enlighten the understanding; to instill into the mind principles of arts, science, morals, religion and behavior. To educate children well is one of the most important duties of parents and guardians. (Webster’s American Dictionary of the American Language, 1828)

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Using the above definition, I actually prefer the term “home-educate,” to the more common “homeschool.”  For the sake of simplicity, I use both terms interchangeably.  But, I think that “home-educate” is a more precise term.  We are not simply trying to “do school at home,” mimicking and attempting to recreate a secular classroom experience.  I do not simply want to “school” my child(ren), I want to educate her.  And, I believe that my child(ren) will receive a better education at home.

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I want my child(ren) to learn how to think – not what to think.  Although I have been accused of this, I am not opposed to, or afraid of my daughter hearing, or being exposed to differing, or opposing views.  Quite the opposite, actually.  But, prior to exposing her to those differing views, I want her to be well-rooted morally, doctrinally, and spiritually.  I want her to have a strong biblical foundation, and the ability to confidently and intelligently interact with those opposing views, so that she is not “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (Ephesians 4:14)

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“‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” ~Matthew 22:36-37

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I find it sad that Christian homeschoolers often have a reputation for being anti-intellectual, or anti-academic.  Maybe it is earned, even deserved.  But, this should not be the case.  While it is true that, as believers (homeschoolers or not), we are not to seek knowledge simply for the sake of amassing knowledge.  But, that does not mean that a Christian cannot be both “smart” and “spiritual.”  Scripture has much to say about the use of our minds.  We are to seek wisdom, and understanding, and insight.  We are to renew and transform our minds.  And, as with any other endeavor in our life, we must heed the admonition of 1 Corinthians 10:31 in our academic pursuits as well: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

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I believe that there is, or, there should be a connection between the pursuit of spiritual, doctrinal, and theological excellence and academic excellence.  Christians should be among the greatest thinkers, and philosophers, and apologists, and scholars of our day. 

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“The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth—Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” ~Proverbs 1:1-7

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Because God’s Word speaks to every area of life, it must be the lens through which every subject and academic discipline is taught: Reading, grammar, and comprehension should lead to a greater ability to study, understand, and obey Scripture.  Science should point to God’s order and handiwork in creation.  Math should point us to a God of logic and order.  History should show us God’s sovereign hand at work in every era, culture, and individual.

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“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” ~2 Timothy 3:14-17

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We have chosen to use, a “classically-eclectic” Christian approach to our child(ren)’s education.  Traditionally, a classical education is based on the trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic) and the quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music).  Our “core” curriculum utilizes 3 basic levels of learning ability: (lower and upper) grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric.  Our studies will generally follow the history of the world, beginning with the (literal, 6-day) biblical account of the creation of the world, and moving to present-day current events, over the course of 4 years.  This cycle will be repeated every 4 years at varying degrees of difficulty corresponding to both age and ability.  We will also be supplementing this core with Bible studies and catechisms, science, math, language studies and a wide variety of reading material.

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I believe that our curriculum choice will give our child(ren) a “good” education (even by many secular standards), and could easily be considered “college-preparatory.”  But, that is not necessarily our ultimate goal.  We must have a standard for “success” that is different from the world’s. My goal is not to have the smartest child(ren), with an off-the-charts genius-level IQ, bound for a prestigious Ivy League university.

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Yes, I want my child(ren) to be well-educated.  But, I do not want her to pursue education as a means to an end – to get a good grade on a test, or to get into a “good” college.  Although college may, in some cases, be beneficial, I do not think that should be the ultimate focus and goal of our child(ren)’s education. College is not out of the question, I just do not believe that it has to be the only answer to that question.

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Currently, we have one child – a daughter.  And, while her gender does not shape all of our academic goals and purposes, it does impact some of them.  (This section will be updated with adjustments or additions should we, one day, have a son as well.)

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Part of our educational goal is to give our daughter(s) a clear understanding of biblical womanhood that is not constantly muddied by the feminist agenda.  I do not want to put her in a position to cultivate desires, or to pursue opportunities that will distract from or contradict Scripture’s calling for her, as a woman.  I want to use the limited years that I have with my daughter(s) to cultivate in her a heart for her future husband, family, and home.  Therefore, our curriculum will include instruction and training in practical domestic tasks (many of which are no longer taught in the public school system), but not to the exclusion of other academic pursuits.

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“…and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” ~Titus 2:4-5

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Scripture is quite clear about the calling and role appointed to women.  But, a well-rounded education in no way detracts from that calling.  In fact, I believe that it will only better equip her to obey and fulfill it.

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Cooking, knitting, and housekeeping are valuable skills.  But, I want her to be a “suitable helper” for her future husband in other ways as well.  I want her to be interested in, and knowledgeable of a variety of subjects, and current events so that she can hold up her end of an interesting conversation or intelligent conversation.  I want her to both challenge him intellectually, and to be competent to help him to think through the tough issues of life, marriage, and ministry.  I want her to understand the importance of organization so that she can capably manage her home.  I want her to learn math so that she can wisely develop a household budget, and be trusted in her use of the family’s finances.  I want her to develop a love of learning so that she can competently and diligently teach her own children someday. 

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But, above all of that, I want her life, her conversation, and yes, her intelligence to be a shining testimony for Christ.  Ultimately, the end goal of our home-education studies is “that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” ~2 Timothy 3:17 

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I want to teach my daughter (and, Lord-willing, any future children) that Scripture speaks to each and every area of life.  I believe this can be accomplished by studying every question, every issue, every problem, and yes, every academic discipline through the lens of Scripture.  And, when our years of “formal schooling” are complete, if I have taught my child(ren) that God’s Word is absolutely sufficient for “all things that pertain to life and godliness,” then I will have done my job.

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“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” ~2 Peter 1:3-4

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To be continued…

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

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Although we have been homeschooling for quite a while (a little over 5 years, to be exact), we are “officially” beginning our homeschooling journey this week, with Kindergarten.  Although it is not going to take over the blog, you will likely see an increase in homeschool-related posts.  So, I thought this might be a good time to share our homeschooling philosophy…why we are doing what we are doing, and where we stand on several key issues.  It is quite long, and would be far too much to expect anyone to take in all at once.  So, I will be posting it in several parts over the next few days. 

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I realize that just the mere mention of the topic of homeschooling can be, and often is, the start of many heated discussions, debates, and arguments.  So, before I begin, I would just like to say that my purpose in writing this is not to question the salvation or the integrity of those parents who have chosen to educate their children in the public schools.  I sincerely hope that each of those families made their decision as we did – with much prayer and purposeful study of God’s Word on this issue.

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But, I do not believe that this is, nor can it be a simple matter of pragmatism – “it works for us, so it is right.”  We do not believe that this just is the best choice for our family.  We believe that it is the best choice.  Period.  We have studied Scripture and prayed about our convictions and the resulting decisions, and we believe them to be biblical.  And, over the years, we will continue to examine our hearts before the Lord, and in light of His Word, on this issue.

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“There are many worthwhile pursuits in this world, but few of them rise to the level of training our children to follow the Lord and keep His commandments.  I desperately want my sons and daughters to walk with God, and I am willing to do whatever it takes, whatever the Bible says I must do in order to be used by God as a means to that end.” (Family Driven Faith, pg. 20)

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I am sure that every homeschooling family has their own reasons for choosing to do so.  And, I am equally sure that those reasons are as varied and unique as the families themselves.  These are our reasons…

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I often say that the simple, or short, answer to the question of why we have chosen to homeschool our child(ren) can be found in Deuteronomy 6:4-7 and Luke 6:40. 

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But, in reality, the answer is much longer…. 

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“I advise no one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not increasingly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt.”
~Martin Luther

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“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deut. 6:4-7)

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“The text, please note, doesn’t say, ‘Make sure that this gets done. Make sure your children learn these things.  …when God commands that someone do a job, it is arrogant and disobedient to pass that job on to someone or something else.” (When You Rise Up, pg. 47)

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This passage makes use of a Hebrew idiom: “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” This does not mean that we are to speak of these things only when we are sitting, or walking, or lying down.  It means all the time…not just after school, not just on the weekends, or school breaks – although those times are certainly included.  But, it means all the time, in the context of real life.

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“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” ~Ephesians 6:4

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As parents, we cannot escape the reality of what Scripture teaches about our duty and responsibility in the education, discipling, and training of our children.

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“God delegates to parents the authority and responsibility for teaching children.  God requires us to make certain that His Word and principles are applied in a daily, comprehensive manner to the education and upbringing of children.  Furthermore, He will hold us responsible for how we direct the education of our children.” (The Heart of Homeschooling, pg. 15)

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“She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life….And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him from the Lord…  For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.’” ~1 Samuel 1:10; 20; 27-28 (ESV)

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Samuel was the much-longed for answer to Hannah’s prayers.  And, yet from the moment he was born – perhaps the moment he was conceived – she understood something most of us miss.  Samuel was not hers.  He belonged to God.  She was simply the steward, the caretaker of God’s precious child.  And, in obedience to the vow she had made, she willingly gave Samuel back to his rightful owner. 

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Like Samuel, our children are not really ours.

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“‘Tell us, then, what you think.  Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius.  And Jesus said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’” Matthew 22:17-21

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In the same way, our children bear an inscription declaring their rightful owner…and the name on that inscription is not mine.  It is not my husband’s. 

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It is God’s.  She is God’s.  She is not mine.

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How can I further delegate a role which has already been delegated to me?  And why, in so doing, would I offer that which rightly belongs to God to a corrupt and immoral system? 

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Although today’s public schools claim neutrality on issues of morality, ethics, and truth, education is not neutral.  It is not amoral or irreligious.  It can’t be.  It requires absolutes, true and false, a standard of right and wrong.  Those concepts cannot be properly taught without an absolute authority.  Whose word determines that absolute standard of authority on issues of morality, right and wrong, true and false in the public school system? God’s? Or, man’s?

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“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” ~Matthew 12:33-35

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If our goal is to raise children, and ultimately, adults who walk with God, who love Christ, who rightly obey and apply Scripture, then we cannot, in good conscience, turn over the discipline and training of their minds (which was entrusted to us, as parents) to a system that is, not just innocuously non-Christian, but blatantly anti-Christian.

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“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” ~Luke:6:40

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How can I expect my child(ren) to act and think in a biblical manner when they are constantly bombarded with secular, humanistic, anti-biblical ideas and examples? 

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“…but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” ~Matthew 18:6

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For this reason, we believe that God’s Word must be the authority for both the foundation and content of our child(ren)’s education.  While, yes, this can, and does happen in many Christian schools, we believe that, biblically, the duty and responsibility of educating our children is given to the parents.

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“I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.  He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” ~Psalm 78:2-8

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To be continued…

Part 2

Part 3

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There is no such thing as Christian work. That is, there is no work in the world which is, in and of itself, Christian. Christian work is any kind of work, from cleaning a sewer to preaching a sermon, that is done by a Christian and offered to God.

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This means that nobody is excluded from serving God. It means that no work is “beneath” a Christian. It means there is no job in the world that needs to be boring or useless. A Christian finds fulfillment not in the particular kind of work he does, but in the way in which he does it. Work done for Christ all the time must be “full-time Christian work.” (Discipline: The Glad Surrender, pg. 122)

We hear a great deal about people’s intentions, and hopes, and wishes, and feelings, and professions.  It would be well if we could hear more about people’s practice.  It is not the servant who is found wishing and professing, but the servant who is found “doing” whom Jesus calls “blessed.”

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The lesson is one which many, unhappily, shrink from giving, and many more shrink from receiving.  We are gravely told that to talk of “working,” and “doing,” is legal, and brings Christians into bondage! Remarks of this kind should never move us.  They savor of ignorance or perverseness.  The lesson before us is not about justification, but about sanctification, not about faith, but about holiness.  The point is not what a man should do to be saved, but what ought a saved man to do?  The teaching of Scripture is clear and express upon this subject.  A saved man ought to be “careful to maintain good works.” (Titus 3:8)  The desire of a true Christian ought to be, to be found “doing.”

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~J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Luke (vol. 2), pg. 90

The single heart is a heart which is not only changed, converted, and renewed; but thoroughly, powerfully, and habitually under the influence of the Holy Ghost.  It is a heart which abhors all compromises, all luke-warmness, all halting between two opinions in religion.  It sees one mighty object, the love of Christ dying for sinners.  It has one mighty aim, to glorify God and do His will.  It has one mighty desire, to please God and be commended by Him.  Compared with such objects, aims, and desires, the single heart knows nothing worthy to be named.  The praise and favor of man are nothing.  The blame and disapprobation of man are trifles light as air.  “One thing I desire, one thing I do, one thing I live for:” this is the language of the single heart.

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~J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Luke (vol. 2), pg.39

The first two movies in the Toy Story series are favorites in our house, and we have all been eagerly anticipating the premier of the third installment!  It was (finally!) released by Disney/Pixar on June 18^th…of course, unlike some of the die-hard fans, we waited a few weeks before venturing to the theaters. 

As a rule, we do not allow Hannah to see movies unless at least one, but preferably both, of us has seen it first.  It is not my habit to play fast and loose with our family rules.  And, it is a rare occasion that I would intentionally bend break this particular rule.  But, especially after hearing numerous positive reviews (many from trusted sources), I assumed that if there was ever a “safe” movie, worth the “risk” of not pre-viewing, it would be the much-loved Toy Story franchise!

One online reviewer said, “All in all, this is just like the first two installments in the franchise, only bigger.”

Maybe it is. Technically, this was a great film.  It was exactly what fans have come to expect from the Disney/Pixar team.  It was extremely well-done.  And, after 11 years, the storyline blended seamlessly with that of its predecessors, neatly wrapping up the Story of these beloved toys. 

But, in general, the darkness and intensity of the entire film was downplayed in every review I heard or read. 

Like most Disney/Pixar fans, I am quite familiar with Disney’s propensity for including an “intense” scene in each movie…some unquestionably more “intense” than others.  So, when we were warned about one particular scene (spoiler warning: in which the toys are riding on a conveyor belt…seemingly to their impending, fiery doom), that might be problematic, I assumed it would be done in typical Disney style…Essential to the overall plot development, but relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things.  (These are the parts we generally fast-forward through at home, without much damage to the flow of the movie as a whole.)  One reviewer did say that it “could be a bit too intense for the film’s youngest viewers.” 

Although I appreciate the reviewer’s honesty on that point, I think that the fact that those “youngest viewers” are the film’s target audience, should have received more consideration from the writers and producers than it did.  There were moments of comic relief sprinkled throughout the darker scenes.  But, much of it seemed to be lost on the smaller members of the audience.  However, the almost-constant tension, darkness, and outright cruelty of some of the characters (Lotso and Big Baby), was not.

My daughter is a huge fan of Toy Story 1 and 2.  She absolutely loves Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Bullseye.  But, when asked how she liked Toy Story 3, her response was, “Not much.”  Not exactly a rave.

I know that many people will, and do disagree with me.  As I said before, most, if not all of the reviews I have heard and seen for this movie were extremely positive.  Maybe the reviewers (professional and amateur alike) were hesitant to criticize such a sentimental favorite.  Maybe I am still naïve enough to think that the level of darkness and intensity in this particular film was inappropriate for a child’s movie.  Or, and I’m afraid this might be the case, maybe this is more common than I would like to think…even considered tame for “children’s entertainment” these days.

By comparison, we have very strict standards for what our family watches, and for how we determine what is (or is not) appropriate.  And, we do our best to shield Hannah from a lot of movies (and cartoons, and TV shows) – Disney included – because of the dark or scary themes contained in them.  If this seems excessive, or over-protective, well, fine.  Disagree with me if you must.  My goal is not to please others in my parenting.  It is, first and foremost to please the Lord, as I protect, and, yes, shelter the child that He has given me.

I am not questioning the judgment of parents who considered this movie to be appropriate for their children.  Each family has to determine what their child(ren) can handle, and what they want their child(ren) exposed to.  Maybe, depending on their ages, and the types of movies they have already been exposed to, it was appropriate.  For my child it was too much.  (I’m sure the fact that this was her first experience with the “big screen” only added to the scary/intensity factor!)  Do I think she was scarred for life by the experience?  No.  But, I do wish that I hadn’t assumed that my standards of child-and-age-appropriateness were the same as someone else’s.  I wish I hadn’t assumed  that it was safe… 

All I can say is, lesson learned….the hard way. 

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“…I cannot read the Bible without desiring to see many believers more spiritual, more holy, more single-eyed, more heavenly-minded, more wholehearted than they are in the nineteenth century.  I want to see among believers more of a pilgrim spirit, a more decided separation from the world, a conversation more evidently in heaven, a closer walk with God….”  ~J.C. Ryle, Holiness

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Although these words were originally written about the church in nineteenth century England, this is my prayer for the Christians of twenty-first century America.

“Our Lord attracted sinners because He was different.  They drew near to Him because they felt that there was something different about Him….And the world always expects us to be different.  This idea that you are going to win people to the Christian faith by showing them that after all you are remarkably like them, is theologically and psychologically a profound blunder.”

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~Martin Lloyd-Jones (as quoted in Ashamed of the Gospel, pg. 31)