SO WHAT ABOUT SOCIALIZATION?…AND OTHER QUESTIONS (part 2)

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SO WHAT ABOUT SOCIALIZATION?…AND OTHER QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT HOMESCHOOLING!
(This is part 2 in a 3 part series.)

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE. I’M GONNA LET IT SHINE!

Matt. 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the peck measure, but on the lampstand; and gives light to all who are in the house. Let you light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

~”Aren’t we called to be “salt and light”?

I can’t tell you how many times I have had someone say this to me. Each time someone has said to me “Aren’t we called to be salt and light?”, I have felt a little stab in my heart because it can cause me to feel as though I am being a neglectful parent, and not teaching my children how to live out and share their faith. Because my desire is to be a parent that is obedient to God’s Word, I desire that they learn what it means to be “salt and light,” and be ready to practice it as they are given opportunity. It can be very insulting to have this accusation thrown your way.

I have had a few people actually get irritated with me as they have told me that my kids need to be “salt and light!” I actually had a man say this to me once, “Home schooling parents are a bunch of lazy parents who don’t want to teach their children how to be ‘out there’ and live out their faith!” After my husband pulled the dagger out of my heart and picked me up off the floor, I walked around for quite awhile feeling somewhat wounded! He hadn’t bothered to ASK how we are teaching our children to be “salt and light.” He had just assumed that they weren’t learning it because they aren’t in the public school system!

For me, this is the hardest accusation to “swallow,” because it is a very serious accusation. But the Holy Spirit prompts me to just be silent, AS HARD AS THAT IS, to evaluate how our children are learning to be “salt and light,” and then seek the Lord’s guidance for how He wants my children to learn to be “salt and light.”

In order for salt or light to be useful there has to be interaction or contact with its environment. If anyone were to take the time to think through this argument thoroughly, I believe that they would be able to see that there are multiple ways that a person can be “salt and light.” Although being a student in the public school system can be one way, there are so many other ways in our day-to-day life to interact with and be a light in this world! But FIRST it must be modeled by US as parents.

A friend told me that, “every time you walk out your front door, you are on the mission field.” That is so true. If we can start to teach our children this concept, and look for ways to reach out and to be an example to those around us as we go through our day, our children will learn how to be a “salt and light.” What about when we go to the store, or out to eat, or to get our hair cut, or fill our car with gas, or play on a sports team, or interact with relatives that aren’t Christians/or aren’t living for the Lord? Whenever we come in contact with people – customers, sales clerks, cashiers, waitresses, teammates, parents of teammates – we are in contact with people whom we can reach out to, talk to, share with, and live out our testimony before. I keep New Testaments in my purse, because at times I have felt the Lord prompting me to give one to a sales clerk or someone I have spoken to. I buy some products from a lady who is not a Christian. So, at Christmas time, with my daughter’s help, I made up a little gift bag for her with coffee, chocolate, a candle…and put a New Testament in there as well.

There are so many ways you can reach out to those around you, and teach your children how to live that life as well (socialization + being a light!!) Then, as they find themselves in situations with teammates, coaches, or friends, you can help them think how to reach out and share their faith. But we must be living it first. I like to think of myself of a sort of “coach” in this regard. The fact that we do so many things together gives us ample opportunity to be “salt and light” together. I love it when one of my children has done something that stood out, and was a testimony, and I can say to them, “You did such a great job being an example in that situation!”

Although as believers we are all called to be “salt and light,” we as parents have the awesome opportunity and responsibility to live that calling before our children, and guide them in their calling as they grow and mature in their faith, so that when they are grown they have learned what it means to live that out, and can teach their children the same. As homeschoolers, we can pray for God to open our eyes to how we can be a light and how we can teach our children to be “salt and light.” Then we can pray that God would provide opportunities for our children to practice what they are learning. It is exciting to see God’s timing and His wonderfully unique ways for using our family as part of His plan.

As hurtful as some of these comments can be, they can still be opportunities for us to evaluate how we are doing in the area of teaching and providing opportunities for our children to learn this most important life lesson!

Gina is the mom of two high schoolers, a freshman and a Senior. In her column “Reaching High,” she shares the many lessons that God has taught her and her family, as they have sought Him through the years. Visit her at her blog,Chats with An Old Lady.