-Being Sheltered/Over-Protective
I don't want my kids to be sheltered. But I want my kids to be sheltered.
While on the surface that doesn't seem to make sense, I bet most moms and dads would agree with me to some extent. While I don't want my kids to be so sheltered that they can't operate in the world, I do want them protected from some things. I think Christians are being misled when they listen to others who say that our children need to be exposed to certain things in order to be productive and wise. Romans 16:19 says we are to be "wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil."
Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss says, "The truth is, our task is not to raise children who can "fit in" or merely survive in this world. The challenge of every Christian parent is to bring up children who love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength; who have a vibrant, personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, and whose lives will be bright and shining lights, penetrating the darkness around them."
Colossians 2:8 says, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
Another point in Lies says, "If we allow our children to listen to music, attend movies, read books and magazines, and hang out with friends that promote profanity, negative attitudes, illicit sex, rebellion, and viloence, we should not be surprised when they adopt the world's philosphy's."
Terry and I don't believe we have to ‘experience’ the world. God said he’d give us life abundantly if we follow Him. But He also says to be pure of mind and heart. According to those statements we can deduce that we can be pure and holy and seek after Him fully and still have abundant life!
What About College?
Colleges across America respect homeschoolers and allow them entrance to their universities based on the same test scores the public and private students submit. See HSLDA for more info.
Click here for Homeschool Pros and Cons Part I and II.
2 comments:
The second quote from Lies Women Believe resonated with me when I read it last year. It is, as my British friends would say, spot on. :)
Didn't you show me another verse in Romans (Romans 15, I think?) that had to do with protecting the weak? I tried sharing that this week with James and couldn't remember your point. All I could say was, "I know it was a strong point!" haha
Romans 14 talks a lot about respecting the weaker Christians views and how we shouldn't put anything in their path that could cause them to stumble. Even if we disagree with them on something, we should respect their beliefs and abstain from things in front of them. (I think this is mostly about legalism.) But I read somewhere (so if you think it's a strong point, I can't take credit for it) that when taking the scripture at its basest meaning- not allowing ourselves to be stumbling blocks for weak Christians- it could also apply to children. Weak beings placed in our care who don't have the moral capacity or maturity to deal with some things as early in life as they face them today.
It's my opinion that it is normal and healthy for children to be exposed to our sinful world. But only once they've reached a spiritual understanding and maturity to be able to look at evil and identify it as evil. To be encouraged enough and wise enough to see the world as what it is and not fall prey to it's lies.
But, of course, kids can still develop such an attitude without being homeschooled. It's just my and Terrys opinion that it's harder to do so.
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