Is homeschooling a worthy sacrifice?

Homeschooling is a Worthy Sacrifice

Our family is venturing into our 7th year of homeschooling. We now have 5 children who have official schoolbooks. It’s gone in the blink of an eye. I cannot believe how amazing this adventure in our lives has grown over the years. It’s weird to me that I am now the “seasoned” homeschool mom to some mommies who are just starting. I get asked a lot of questions now and I often sit back and wonder why there seems to be this big wet blanket thrown onto moms who decide to homeschool by some of the people around us.

People are well meaning in their concerns. It’s a lot of work being a homeschool parent. There’s a lot of time involved. Some could even ask “Why do you want to go through all of the trouble and sacrifices? There are professionals to do that for you.” In Matthew 26:6-13, when the woman anoints Jesus’ head with a jar of valuable, fragrant oil and the disciples thinks she’s crazy for pouring it over Him! What she does as a sacrifice the onlookers see as waste.

So much in this biblical account carries over to homeschooling parents. We pour out our most precious commodity, time, into the souls God has placed in our care. As we hear other parents who say things like “Oh man, my kids are going to be home all summer.” we wonder why that is such a bad thing? We count the seconds with our children as an offering, poured out at the feet of our Savior. If they were gone each day we would miss out on time, which is one resource that is irreplaceable.

Many homeschooling parents sacrifice so much keeping their children home. Do you know how many I have met that regret it? Not one. Why? It’s because there’s so much value in the moments your children spend by your side. Aside from the schoolwork, a small portion of homeschooling, there is fellowship, laughter, joy and fun. You are also together during moments of trials, pain, sadness and deep trials of this life. Your children watch as you walk out the Christian life in front of them. They see the tears and repentance of moments you stumble. They see you get up and continue on, trusting God for each step. They see God move in blessings in your life. They learn how life works by walking it with you each day. In pouring out the precious oil of your time into your children, you are filling their empty vessels as you march in the Lord’s army side by side.

In Matthew 26:12 it says “For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.” The death of Jesus was just a short time away when this occurred. That death has saved those of us who have repented of our sin and follow after him. She poured out the oil on Him as an offering, just as we pour out our time onto our children as an offering. Our prayer as Christian parents is that when the empty vessel of our child is finally full of the rich oil we have poured into them they will then pour it out as a sacrifice to the Lord by answering His call on their lives. This is how generations of Christians are formed. Through pouring out the gift of our time onto our children we will never live with the regret of missing many hours that we could have spent by their sides.

Homeschooling is about far more than education. It’s about training, loving, and shepherding our children. We take our time and hand it back to God, asking He redeems the moments He has given us to share with the small people He has blessed us with. Then we can live a life of no regrets. I will never regret spending so much time with my children. I will never look back and say it was too much work. Your children are eternal beings. What you are doing today has an eternal impact. Don’t be discouraged when people don’t understand why you homeschool. Know that God understands your sacrifice, honoring it in the way only He Himself can.

 

Jenn Hoskins is a wife, mommy of 6 and daughter of the great King! She blogs at www.MommyEvangelism.org, a ministry that encourages moms to share their faith during the busy season of motherhood.