A few notes on education that have been on my mind.
My boys started the school year in-person today because the school I teach at is going back in-person (with an at-home option for those that need it). The classes are small and have lots of precautions in place and we're staying pretty isolated besides that. My young son knows when to wear a mask and I'll be wearing a mask all the time. My school consults with a medical board and is stepping out in faith as the year starts. This year will be challenging, but I'm choosing to also step out in faith and love and serve to the best of my ability.
I've heard and seen a lot of moms judging each other over education choices, especially during Covid-19. I may even be judged right now for my very first sentence, even though people don't know all the details of my decision. Or even all the details of Covid, as they are still being discovered and reaching the masses. And depending on each person's preferred news source and interest level we're finding out accurate Covid info either faster or slower than others. In a time where we need to support each other, not alienate each other, I am sad that dis-unity and judgement about education choices are happening, even between moms who know how hard parenthood already is. A pandemic makes it even harder because another's decision could directly affect our health and the health of our children. But can't there still be a kind of support? We are often drawn to seeking other mom's opinions like bees to flowers because they can provide useful knowledge through their own experiences when we so often feel like we don't know what we're doing. Yet, we get stung over and over again with "This is the only right way to educate....This is the only right way to handle Covid.... This is the only right way to feed your baby… This is the only right way to...". I want to yell from the rooftop, "Stop stinging your own kind!"
I'm thankful for the moms who are like butterflies - spreading joy and understanding and trust in God's presence wherever they go. Even in the midst of a pandemic. God's kingdom is an upside down one so why not choose the unthought-of-by-some way of trusting God's mysterious(and sometimes confusing) but Good plan instead of unraveling and taking others down with you during the craziness of a pandemic or life.
A headline might read, "Covid-19 deals another punch". It's striking fear in hearts of catching/passing it and keeping kids from one type of community that can help them grow and be kids. The punches keep coming. Can we punch back? Not really. It's bigger than us and we can’t even see where it’s going to strike next. We can try to avoid the punches, but the time for that has passed. Eventually we all will get hit in one way or another. We may get beat up, but you know who is bigger than even Covid and who sees all? I hope you know Him. He knows and sees you. Our God tells us to love Him and others. This CAN be done before, during, and after Covid, no matter where the kids are so don't let those punches knock you down.
As several friends, and even I, are contemplating and making hard decisions about what the education of our children looks like this year and the possible future effects of that decision I call out to God. He doesn't always answer right away or in the way I think. But, even when all seems dark I know the Son shines bright. I've seen the effects of the Light in the past and I will see them again.
After giving a friend the advice of trusting God with the hard decisions she had to make, I felt the Holy Spirit guiding me to look at education in a different way. In this culture we must do "education". It may look different for different people, but it's still abundantly there in the lives of our youth. One way to look at it is our kids do school and they hopefully have Jesus in their lives- they hear about Him here and there. Or we trust that the kids will learn about Jesus in Sunday school. Another way to look at it is we help, along with others, to make Jesus their life, their "center", and education is an extremely important tool to equip them to love and serve others better now and in the future. Education can help put our kids at the door of knowledge. If they are able and choose to open that door what's inside can help give them tools they need to be able to stand firm in their beliefs and not be swayed by others. To change those beliefs when the Holy Spirit leads and not just go along with the crowd will be hard, but so worth it in the eyes of God. Will they learn to read so they can dive deeper and deeper into God's Word? Will they learn to speak well so they can communicate well with any and every person they meet and share the Gospel clearly? Will they learn how to be compassionate to others through personal interactions? Will they learn skills that can lead them to a job where they can love and serve and demonstrate their faith? As I was trying to explain this to a friend, and failing, I realized I was unsure how, or even if, a preschooler can focus on loving and serving in their classroom. How can someone so young use education as a tool to love and serve rather than only see it as playtime and recess? I think it's never too early to try to help my sons become more like Jesus. Every day I can focus on how education can be seen in light of the Gospel and challenge them to think of how they can bless every single person they see. Along with asking and reviewing what they learned that day, I can ask them how they showed love that day. I can ask who they shared with and how they were kind. I can ask myself the same things. Some days, a lot of days, I may get a blank stare, either in the mirror or from my kids, but all the effort is worth it for even one day, even one act of love. And, hopefully, if I make it routine to ask and talk to them about this, it will be ingrained in their hearts. And in mine. Only with the Holy Spirit's help.
Friends of mine have dealt with the huge question of where their kids should go to school (or if they should homeschool), now and even before Covid. Mine are so young we haven't really gotten there yet, but community is all about encouraging each other towards Christ through the troubles and worries of the day so I am glad to listen and to have their perspective because I will get there eventually. Through different conversations I began to wonder if it matters to God where they go to school. Society says they need to be on pace or even higher to get a good job, to be successful in life. But God says, in Joshua 1 that if we follow God's Word we will have success wherever we go. So, what kind of success do you want for your kids? I think I would rather have my sons have jobs that are not highly regarded by society but be on fire for Jesus and be super loving and kind, than for them to be millionaires but evil, corrupt people. In light of eternity, what really matters? In whatever educational route we choose, I pray that my boys strive to become more and more like Christ, that they seek to put others at the feet of Jesus, and that I can authentically love them no matter what. Isn't that possible at any building my children are in with God in their lives?
It seems there is no perfect education choice for anyone these days. And everyone’s level of caution is different. Trust that God will be with you and your kids no matter what you decide to do and live abundantly in that assurance. Live in the knowledge that God's perspective and plan is best and let situations and circumstances refine instead of destroy.
Lord,
Give us a humble heart when You are trying to refine us.
Give us the courage to stand firm in our own decisions that we've prayed about. Once a decision is made, give us peace that You are with us no matter what. May we live abundantly in Your Truth and without fear or worry for tomorrow.
Help us trust in Your guidance and not seek approval or affirmation from other humans.
These children are Yours. Covid is not a surprise to you. May we see Your bigger picture for our lives and the lives of our children. May loving and serving be our goal, which can be accomplished anywhere.
May we cry out to You to change us if we don't have the same idea of success as You do. May we listen to You when we just need to get off social media and not get stung anymore. Teach us how to support each other well and leave the judging to You.
Amen.