It was just a matter of time before it happened. For more than seven years I have had a simple refrain I rehearsed each time I queried about homeschooling: "If God calls you to it, He will enable and provide. He will not fail. The foundation of a good education is a submitted heart; a child who is hard hearted will just become a well-informed heathen."

My little refrain doesn't rhyme — but it is true. And many women who called for academic details were challenged and energized — maybe re-focused because God got hold of their attention during our conversation.

Today, however, a woman coldly, put me in my place: "I didn't call to get a bunch of God-talk. I want to know what to do with my very bright 12 year-old daughter who is working on the college level."

First I went cold — that was before a flash of an unholy feeling gripped my heart. "She thinks, I am DUMB!" I seethed to myself. Okay, babe — you want details? I got details about how to handle a smart kid. Then, by the grace of God, I carefully modulated my voice and gave her several suggestions, including "How To Teach Your Child Successfully," and "Home Education."

When we hung up, I still hadn't prayed for her — or her daughter.

Will you pray with me for her, for her needs — and for my attitude to whomever I speak — that when "they" reject what "they" perceive to be "religion," I will maintain a HUMBLE heart of compassion and forbearance and simply tell them what I know?

In the coming months, many concerned parents will wake up and smell the coffee: their kids are not being challenged or equipped. Homeschooling — secular and Christian — is building a successful track record. Some of those parents may call you or me, asking how to help their kids.

What will we say? What's in our cup of cold water? If the goal of our home education is just to reach the Colfax's excellent goals, if the end is to implement an "un-schooling" approach, if our education goal is become more classical in our home studies than the Renaissance, we will fail, even if *all* our kids graduate from the top colleges and universities.

If I am unwilling to be considered "dumb" in order to advance the only Truth I know that worked — works for me — then I gotta give up talking to new homeschoolers, too.

"For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Cor 1:22-25)

Thanks for praying with me for what God will do in that dear woman's life — may she and her daughter and whole family become mighty for the cause of Jesus Christ.
BWSmith

© Barbara W. Smith 1998, all rights reserved
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