In the past twenty years, the Homeschooling community has
produced its share of speakers, writers, workshop leaders, and "veteran"
homeschool parents--many who speak authoritatively on a vast number
of subjects. While it's true that the Lord uses human vessels to teach,
encourage, rebuke, and exhort, He never wants us to put any man or
woman on a pedestal-- or worse, let them replace the function of His
Holy Spirit in our lives.
There is a temptation to look at others
who have more experience in certain areas and place them on pedestals,
as well as seek to imitate them--but God doesn't want us to be molded
into anyone else's image but conformed into the image of His Son!
(Romans 8:29) He has created each one uniquely, with different strengths
and weaknesses. He never encouraged anyone to follow others except
as they were following Him, and everything we read and hear must be
weighed in light of His Word and filtered through Him.
There
is also a danger in allowing others to put us on pedestals. Sometimes
we might receive human recognition, honor and praise, but we'd better
lift it up to the Lord, giving Him all the glory, and not keep it
ourselves. No flesh is going to glory in His presence and if we want
Him to dwell with us, we'd better humble ourselves and exalt Him alone!
The
Lord wants us to concentrate on our own relationship with Him, growing
in His Word and in grace and mercy, allowing Him to bring our family
into conformity with His Word, overcoming the trials He allows and,
as a result, glorifying Him instead of ourselves and pointing others
toward Him as The Expert-- omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God
of the Universe!
Others will then see Jesus and be drawn to Him,
and when we share, we'll be able to share out of what HE has done
in our lives--not boasting of how long we've been a Christian or how
long we've homeschooled, or even how many children we've taught! "Everyone
proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces,
none will go unpunished."-- Proverbs 16:5 (Scary thought!)
Homeschooling
for a long time, or having many children doesn't necessarily make
one an expert. Neither does designing a curriculum or writing a book!
What
really matters is:
What does God think about this?
What does His Word
say?
What is His will for our family?
Does the advice point us toward
the Lord as our Ultimate Source? (Psalm 1)
A close, daily relationship
with God will enable us to recognize and learn to crucify the flesh
and pride. When we see how beautiful He is, and how it's only through
His Blood that we have been forgiven and are able to stand before
Him, then we will be reminded of how we have no reason to have ANY
pride--and that should motivate us to share humbly and meekly with
others, bestowing mercy and grace--even as the Lord demonstrated His
mercy and grace in our own lives. For it is the God who commanded
light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus
Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence
of the power may be of God and not of us." -- 2 Corinthians 4:6-7
Let's
keep on shining for Him and allow Jesus alone to be exalted. Yes,
we should appreciate and be thankful for the earthen vessels God uses
in our lives, but let's remove all those pedestals and worship only
the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords--Jesus Christ, taking time
to seek His opinion first and foremost--after all, His is the only
one that matters!
© Copyright Tamara Eaton 1994-2000, all rights
reserved.
Permission is given to reprint any of Tamara's articles in
non-profit publications as long as the article is reprinted in full
and contains the copyright information and website address.
