No, this is not going to be a post about endurance and perseverance, etc. It's not going to be about those passages that exhort Christians to exercise self-control and run the race in order to obtain the prize (1 Cor. 9:24-25, Heb. 12:1). We're tired. We're at the end of another long "school year" of rigorous academic curriculum that we've been teaching our children, on top of deep spiritual formation practices with which we've been discipling our children. The last thing we need or want is for someone to be up in our face telling us to "Finish strong!" I have nothing against finishing strong. And absolutely, I think it's good. If something is worth doing, it's worth doing well from beginning to end. And when said by the right person at the right time, those words can be a great and necessary encouragement or exhortation (see above references). But when said by the wrong person at the wrong time, it's not going to be helpful at all. It's just a reminder that we didn't do all that we set out to do. We failed. We're wrapping up the school year, and we still have fifteen books from our curriculum that we didn't get to during the year. But maybe that's just it. Maybe the finish is not the issue. Maybe it was the start. Did we run a school year marathon, but at the start of the year, planned to keep a 100-meter dash pace? I think often that's the hinderance and frustration with many homeschooling families. We set our sights high, which is good - but not if it's in the wrong direction. Our goals (tempting though it may be) should not have anything to do with the goals of public school curriculum. Nor should we think in order to have a good homeschool year we will have had to achieved x amount of books and y amount of math worksheets. The goal of our homeschooling is to train our children to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Learning math and reading and science and history, etc. - yes, that's all part of being a disciple of the Lord, having dominion over the world He created. But all throughout Scripture he seems more concerned with His children's sanctification than with their knowledge. While knowledge is absolutely held in high regard in Scripture (Prv. 2:3-5), by itself, or for its own sake, it carries with it a very dangerous potential for pride and puffing up (1 Cor. 8:1-2, cf. Gal. 1:14). However, our growth in our knowledge of the Lord (Jn. 17:3, 2 Pet. 3:18) is of much more concern to our Savior. And it is looking to Him and His grace that the Spirit uses in sanctifying us - in making us more like the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 3:17, 18). So let us in that regard finish strong. Let us not look to the unfinished books and the arbitrary standards we've set for ourselves. Rather let us look to Him - the creator, sustainer, and glory of all knowledge. Let us be thankful for what He brought us through this year, and look forward to what He will do next year. And then let us rest in His presence (Mt. 11:28-30), knowing that He alone is the one who brings us across the finish line (Phil. 1:6). Comments are closed.
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AuthorAdam T. Calvert (BTh, MS) and his wife Mary currently live in Saint Johns, Florida where they homeschool their three daughters, Lilianna, Olivia, and Clara. Archives
July 2023
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