False Assumptions
Posted in Daily Focus on Sunday, June 22, 2014
"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
Do your parents find knowing how to help when you homeschool difficult? Although my parents had raised seven children of their own, they always seemed hesitant to watch my children when I needed a helping hand. At first, I thought my children might be misbehaving during their stay, but my parents assured me that was not the case. However, after declining my request to watch them several times in a row, I finally asked, "Mom, why don't you want the kids to come over?"
Reluctantly she admitted, "Well, I just don't know how to help them do their schoolwork." Like a light bulb turning on in my head, I finally understood the problem. For months I had thought my parents didn't enjoy my children. In reality, they were feeling inadequate to supervise the homeschooling lessons I had prepared. From that day on, schoolwork was left at home. My children simply enjoyed being with their grandparents and helping with their daily chores. When time permitted, they played games and learned valuable lessons in practical skills not found in a workbook.
Making incorrect assumptions can also get Christians into trouble in the body of Christ. Rather than interpreting Scripture with Scripture in the power of the Holy Spirit, many Christians make poor choices because they take God's Word out of context. Randomly picking isolated verses, they fail to clearly understand God's will and infer meanings the passage never intended. Even Christ faced this same temptation. When Satan misquoted Scripture in Luke 4:10-11, he challenged Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by throwing Himself down from the temple's pinnacle. Jesus refuted Satan's misinterpretation of Psalm 91:12 and quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 instead: "Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God."
Are you correctly handling the Word of God? Don't make false assumptions about the Scriptures that might jeopardize your homeschooling success. Read the entire Bible passage and remember to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance as you study God's Word. Heed the exhortation the apostle Paul gave to a young believer in 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Lord, without Your help, no one can understand the Bible. Please, show me how to read and study Your Word that I might apply it and glorify You with my life. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Comments(10 comments)
EILEEN M 06/22/2010 02:57:54
My heart goes out to you with this situation and your parents. We were fortunate that my parents were the ones who initially wanted us to homeschool. I never asked them to do lessons with the kids unless I was present. I remember my father helping me make up a math page for my son and also reading one of Aesop's fables to the children. If my parents watched our children, they were just to have fun. My father loved to tell stories and just converse with the children. There was also some 'joking around' going on. Later, my son wrote a pretty amazing paper about him during his high school years. My mother just loved taking care of the children. Both of my parents just 'lit up' when they were around the kids. We never required my parents to teach the kids their academics but only to build up their relationship with the kids. This kept things simple, enjoyable, and memorable. They always associated fun times when they were with their grandparents. My father is no longer here and my mother can not see us as much due to her arthritis. The time with grandparents goes too fast. Let's help grandparents make their visits with our children a 'cozing up' time to build up their relationships with our children. My parents have so much wisdom as they are from one of the greatest generations that ever lived. Let them have the creativity to enhance their relationships with the children the best way they know how. We owe this to them! I am very glad the Lord brought this realization to your family too. It is so good to hear how families conquer trials together to live in Christian unity.
EMILY H 06/22/2010 04:52:53
You gave us a two-fer today! I think this one devotional has a second lesson in it. Along with the command to honor your parents, the grandparents were also restored to a more honorable role of "lovers of the family" instead of "substitute teachers."
LAURA R 06/22/2011 06:40:57
I wish we had supportive grandparents....my husband's parents keep asking when we're sending our kids to "school". They do not interact as much with our children since we followed the LORD's leading and started going to a church instead of "the" meeting. They feel the LORD is only in the midst of their worldwide assembly and we're harming our children by not bringing them there. We joined a bible believing church that makes our children BLOSSOM for the LORD. How can that be wrong? Our church advocates homeschooling and warns of the dangers of public school, yet his parents would rather we send our children there. I wish the kids could have a closer relationship with his parents since mine are gone.
MARLENE S 06/22/2011 09:07:25
The main advice I can give to Laura R is PRAY! PRAY! PRAY! My children have one living grandparent and she has dementia. Have you ask your in-laws how they would have felt if someone tried to tell them how to raise their children? What if someone had hammered them about sending their children to public school? They made a choice they thought was right for them. So tell them you are making a choice that is right for your family. Communicate your love for them and how much you would like them to be a part of their grandchilrens lives. God will be with you. At least you will know in your heart you have done eveything possible, the rest is up to them.
We have 5 children that are grown. We have 1 child at home. We have 6 grandchildren. We have chosen to homeschool our youngest child for the past 3 years. Everyone in my family is against it, including our 5 children! So I know what you are feeling. It is hard, but we know in our hearts it is what God wants us to do. I am like you in wanting the support. If we look at the life of our Savior and what he endured, it gives us strength to succeed in what we set out to do. My goal is to live with God and Jesus one day. I cannot change the hearts of others, but God can. We have to have faith and pray for courage to stand up for what we believe in. May God bless you and your family. May our families hearts be softened.
LAURA R 06/22/2011 18:30:37
Thank you Marlene for that advice. May the LORD be with you & your family as well. One day we will ALL rejoice in heaven TOGETHER! Until then........
KATHY S 06/22/2012 09:31:21
To the Author;
I feel badly for you that you had to go through that time thinking there was something wrong with your childrens and parents relationship. That is an awful feeling. I completely understand.
You know my Mom never wanted to help me 35 yeras ago with my homework form school, and she surley at 75yrs doesn\'t wan\'t to help my son with his.
She\'s an awesome Mom, but does not like school/homework.
She makes mention of how \"different\" things were back when she was in school and how the children are taught things differently now.
Well, when he was in school, that was true, but homeschooling, I\'m more in \"Old Fashioned \" mode.
She still doesn\'t care much for it. So, I don\'t ask for her to help him. What are you going to do.
I am though, the last 2 months , questioning, like you did why last night was the first night since my surgery that she actually offered to take my son after our adventure out for a short time. She actually said she would take him home while I went to the grocery store. So I got a whole 1 1/2 hours to myself.
Maybe since she had to keep him for 4 days while I was in the hospital??
But he\'s almost completely self sufficient. All he requires is someone to actually make dinner for him (hot food) and a body physically there for emergencies.
I am totally perplexed. He never ever misbehaves for my Mother, he doesn\'t even misbehave for me. So I am at a total loss.
And usually when he\'s there, he helps her do all kinds of stuff that she\'s too old to do anymore. As a matter a fact, whenever we are there, she outs both of us to work, especially my son. We don\'t mind, most of the time.
I have 9 different doctors at this time, I am in Physical therapy and will be startingCardiac therapy too at the same time as P.T..
I feel bad that my son has to come with me to every apppointment. He never complains, but I still feel bad.
What do I do? She\'s my only \"sitter\", and I rarley ask for help. And last night when she watched him for that short time, I was not only grocery shopping for us, but 1/2 was for her, It always is.
I just don\'t understand her not offereing to watch him. As a matter a fact, I have made mention of how I hate to have to bring my son along again to this appointment or that appointment, and no offers of help.
Oh well, like everything I guess I\'ll just pray about it. If anything, I can understand the way you were feeling at the time.
Have a Blessed day!
LORETTA B 06/22/2012 10:22:17
I AM the grandmother and I will be the homeschool teacher for my two grandsons. I truly look forward to this role, however, I also have some trepidation about alternating between the roll of grandmother and teacher. I will be playing it out by prayer and by \"ear\". They are very good boys (12 & 13) and I know we can make it work, but there will be lessons to learn in this regard. I am a retired teacher, so the only thing that concerns me on the academics is the math. I am anxious to get this started later this summer.
TERESA S 06/22/2012 18:39:38
Kathy S>
My parents have never really wanted to help care for my kids. I love my folks, I do not try to understand- I accept and just manage as best as I can on my own. After all, I reason, there are many other parents functioning witthout a family support system. I must confess, it hurts, but I do want to have whatever type of relationship they are willing to have.
Of course, you have a lot more going on- recovering and all. Hang in there, God is in charge.
Rob van der Zee 06/22/2015 14:52:31
The Bible can prove “profitable” to us only as we “rightly divide” it. We must rightly divide the Word of truth for the simple reason that if we do not do this we can pervert the truth and change it into error. Through the centuries God has periodically altered His dealings with mankind. Many religious rites which were commanded in Old Testament times are positively forbidden in this present dispensation of grace.
In Old Testament times, for example, animal sacrifices were required for acceptance with God, and from John the Baptist through Pentecost water baptism was required (Lev. 17:11; Mk. 1:4; Acts 2:38), but some years after the death of Christ the apostle Paul was sent forth with “the preaching of the cross,” and he declared that: “We have redemption through [Christ’s] blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7) “Being justified freely by [God’s] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).
Rob van der Zee 06/23/2015 13:13:45
To avoid any misunderstanding, please note that the text here above is from Pastor Cornelius R. Stam. He shows in these few phrases why the Body of Christ should follow the instructions of Paul, the apostle of the gentiles, who follows the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).