“And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:44).
When was your defining moment of deciding to homeschool your children? Mine came one day as I stood over the kitchen sink washing dishes for the fourth time. After running all day to keep up with my preschoolers and the housework, I felt as limp as the dish rag I was holding. I had been thinking about homeschooling, but quite frankly, the thought of being a homeschooling parent for the rest of my life wasn’t too appealing right then. As my children entertained themselves with one of their favorite Christian music tapes, the words to the song they were playing echoed in my thoughts. In that moment, something happened. The Holy Spirit convicted me and said, “Are you willing to be my servant?
“Yes,” I replied.
“Then teach these children about Me,” He said lovingly.
“But I don’t know how, God,” I cried.
“Trust me,” He said in return.
Throughout my homeschooling experience, no other moment was quite as powerful as that one. Taking God at His word, I began to learn that you can’t be a good homeschooling parent without learning how to be a servant first. God gave me a new love for my children and the wisdom to use my spiritual gifts of teaching, administration, and exhortation to benefit the people I loved most, my family. Although plenty of “rag days” were still to come, I knew I was serving my Lord right where He wanted me to be!
Learning how to be a servant doesn’t come easy for any of us. Our selfish flesh screams so loudly, “What about me?” Homeschooling may take you to a new dimension of sacrifice, but it will never be as great as Christ’s sacrificial love for you. His death on the cross washed away every mess you will ever make, and He never complained once while doing it. With Jesus as your role model, will you pick up your towel and continue serving the Lord in your homeschool? “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Taken from AOP Homeschooling Devotions
Wow! Great stuff here. Didn’t know you were such a prolific writer. Really like the title. Nice spin on a current catch phrase. Keep up the excellent work. No doubt the Lord will use these devotionals to bless hearts.
This particular post was not my devotion, nor the title, but it sure spoke to my heart and brought to memory some difficult days of schooling and then battling with the Lord when I KNEW HE was bringing me to the place of obeying HIS call on my life. it came from Alpha Omega Publications Homeschooling Devotions that I have received for several years. Not everything I post, do I write. However, thanks for your kind words.
Can you reset your clocks, Darla, I will not be up at 2:30am tomorrow 🙂
Gammy – can’t figure out how to change the clocks in this blog if that is what you are talking about.
That verse spoke to my heart many years ago at a baby shower. I asked God to give me a heart of a servant. So God put me in positions to serve. How faithful He is. Thanks for sharing your servants heart.
Wow…That was a blessing to me, Ms. Darla 🙂 Thanks for posting that.
It was a great reminder for me, of what God had called me to do 16 years ago, when HE made it very clear that we were to educate our children from home! On a daily basis getting caught up in the whirlwind of life, we tend to forget “why we do what we do”. God gave me a servants heart with the gift of exhortation, and a calling to teach and nurture my children. Where I may see a snot nosed kid who is trampling on my last nerve, the Lord sees a mom, a pianist, a gardner, a janitor, lawyer, dad or a preacher! HE holds the plan in HIS hand, therefore, I must keep the long term goal into perspective as I am making an eternal impact on a generation that will shape the future!
Yes, that is very true…I tend to forget that sometimes myself. YES HE SURE DID!!! You are an amazing encourager and I love and appreciate you for that….God’s good 🙂 Wow–Great perspective!!! You and my mom have the same when it comes to that…She’s always telling us to keep the long term goal in mind and try and picture what God may be seeing in someone versus what we may be seeing for HE sees the heart…while we only see the face.