Children are Not Missionaries or Pawns in the Culture War, Get Them Out of Public Schools

As parents, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children are protected, guided, and nurtured in the ways of the Lord. We are commanded by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:4 to "bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." This is a weighty responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly.

In a world where the forces of secularism and secular education are constantly vying for the hearts and minds of our children, it is imperative that we stay vigilant and proactive in shaping the worldview and beliefs of our children. This means, as much as possible, avoiding schools that are hostile to our values, and instead focusing on creating an environment that will help our children flourish and grow in their faith.

One of the most concerning trends in our world today is the number of court cases being won or lost by conservative or Christian parents against public schools that are violating the Constitutional rights of children to express their religious or political beliefs. These cases, while appearing to be wins for the culture, come at a significant cost to the well-being of the children involved.

It is alarming to think that so many Christian parents are sending their children to these hostile environments, with the false hope that their children will be able to withstand the barrage of anti-Christian messages that they will be exposed to each day. Children are impressionable and are easily influenced by the adults in their lives. When teachers who are often left-wing activists, are the primary adults that our children interact with each day, we have cause for concern.

In Deuteronomy 6, we see what it means to truly raise our children up in the Lord:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

It is not just about sending them to church two or three hours a week. It is about loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and might, and teaching our children to do the same. This means that our children's hearts and minds should be constantly tuned to the instruction and wisdom of the Lord, and we should be spending as much time as possible with them, helping to shape and guide their thoughts and beliefs.

Sending our children to public schools for eight hours a day or more in the hopes that they will be able to withstand the barrage of anti-Christian messages is a foolish notion. Our children are not pawns in the culture wars, nor should they be used as missionaries in hostile environments. They are immature and unqualified to take on such a heavy burden.

When it comes to the daily life and education of our children, we must assess not just the practical aspects, like the financial burden or the inconvenience of homeschooling, but most importantly, the spiritual and moral factors. Since these schools clearly do not align with our Christian worldview, it's essential to ask ourselves: Are we willing to make the financial sacrifices required to provide our children with an environment that is safe, nurturing, and in line with our beliefs? Or are we prioritizing convenience or comfort over the well-being of our children's souls?

As it says in Mark 8:36, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" And even more alarmingly, Jesus says in Mark 9:42 and Matthew 18:6, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."

As parents, it is our responsibility to ensure that we are not leading our children into temptation or causing them to sin by sending them to schools that are hostile to our beliefs. It is imperative that we take the time to examine our hearts, find the real reason for our actions, and ask ourselves if it is worth putting our children's souls at risk.

It may require sacrifices—for some of us, huge sacrifices—but the reward of raising children in a safe and nurturing environment that aligns with our beliefs is invaluable. We should be willing to make the necessary sacrifices, financial or otherwise, to ensure that our children receive the education they need to succeed in this world and in their spiritual lives.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6 that if we "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." And while it is ultimately up to the Lord Himself which way our children should go, this proverb reminds us that it is our duty to obey God and that God will provide and do what is good.