Shouldn’t Our Kids Be Salt & Light?

After sharing my story about being a homeschool graduate, I received an interesting question from a reader. Since this is something many people talk about when they mention homeschooling, I decided to go ahead and share her question, along with my response, for you today.

Beware that my answer is very strong because apparently this information has been brewing in my heart for a long time. I had never intended to blog about it, but Angela asked, and all my thoughts, research, observations, and ideas came tumbling out…

The Salt & Light Question

Thank you for sharing your homeschooling journey as a child.  It is such an emotional topic for many. I greatly respect your courage to share and decision to home-school. My question is not to challenge that at all. Rather to draw attention to something that I think gets overlooked or brushed off and is hurting our kids as well.

We are overseas and do a hybrid of local schools and homeschool type supplementing in the 6 months that there is no school.  So I see the benefits and some days really consider switching to full time but…..

Can I suggest/challenge you to address one more aspect?

We are called to be a light to the world. I think that often when we are so deeply involved in our churches, Christian homeschool groups, and volunteer activity we fail to really do life with lost. It isn’t for a lack of understanding that we need to be in the world not of the world, but our practical reality has us interacting with very very few non-believers.  Life with kiddos is busy. They fill the day and homeschooling, while creating some time-savors, also takes different time from mom and takes us out of the community.

I think a key aspect that needs to be incorporated more in most homeschooling stuff I see is to help people still be relevant to the unsaved world. Help kids interact with  non-believers and know how to. Unless we prepare them for that they will either flounder when entering that world for college or stay in the same limited world we have created around them. The world is harsh and we want to protect them from unneeded harm but they also need to know how to help lead their peers out of that harm or they are missing a key part of what we are called to as believers.

Sorry if that is too blunt for someone who you don’t know at all, really it is not about you, I don’t know you. More about what I think and experienced growing up in the states in a huge amazing Christian community. Just felt the need to respond. Living overseas where I have very very very few believing friends has changed me. 🙂   Please don’t feel any pressure to reply.

Blessings to you and your home!

Angela

My (Very Long) Answer

Hello, Angela!

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. Get ready for a very long and strong answer, because apparently I have some big thoughts and feelings about this topic!

Salt & light is definitely something I’m asked about regularly, and I believe you’re referring to Matthew 5:13-16

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven…” (NKJV)

I’d like to point out a few Biblical observations regarding this salt and light idea:

1. In Jesus’ sermon in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus was specifically speaking to a large group of adults, not a crowd of children.
2. The disciples’ closest friends and companions were each other. According to Luke 9:1-6, the disciples went and taught at various locations, then moved on and taught elsewhere. They did not stay in one place, and therefore were not developing close relationships with the non-believers they were teaching.
3. According to Luke 3:23, Jesus Himself didn’t begin His public ministry until He was 30 years old. Before that, He was taught some in the temple, but mostly by his parents, at home.
4. Being salt is not about being evangelistic. The Bible is very clear that we should be evangelistic. But this particular passage (Matthew 5:13) is not about being an evangelist – it’s about maintaining our own personal faith. If we lose our faith and fall away or become like the world, we’ve lost our saltiness and are therefore without flavor. Without that salt, it’s impossible to be a light to the world.
5. According to the next verse (Matthew 5:14) in the salt and light passage, we can’t hide our light, because being salty automatically sets us on a hill and shines a light to the world. This includes homeschool families.
6. The Bible is without contradiction, so  the verses I mentioned in my homeschool graduate article (2 Corinthians 6:14; Luke 6:40; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Deuteronomy 6:6-9; etc.) are applicable and in harmony with the points and verses mentioned above.

My own personal observations and thoughts:

1. There is no shortage of people who need the gospel.

As someone who has been homeschooling my children for nearly a decade, I have discovered that, even in the Bible belt where we live, there is no shortage of people around my family who need to know about the gospel.

For two years, my husband and I needed to drive a van plus a car to most church services because we were loaded down with neighborhood kids. Then there’s talking to the person at the grocery store, park, library, or sporting event – basically, when we are actively and prayerfully seeking for ways to share the gospel, opportunities will present themselves.

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.’” Mark 16:15-16, ESV

2. Homeschool kids are more likely to keep their faith.

I mentioned in my previous homeschool article that we are losing our Christian children to the world at a horrifying 75%, but we are only losing 6% of homeschooled children (source).

This is at least partially due to the fact that many teachers are not Christians, and even the teachers who are Christians are mandated to teach things that directly contradict God’s Word. (While some teachers will violate that rule, they’re risking their jobs to do so, and they’re still fighting against the majority.)

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:40, ESV

3. Unequally yoked Christians are more likely to be influenced by the masses than they are to influence the masses.

Think about how many people you led to Christ when you were a student. Now think about how many times someone else led you away from Christ. The same is likely happening with your children.

While it’s temping to think Christian children are being salt & light at school, when you consider the statistics I just shared a minute ago, which group in public schools seems to actually be doing the most influencing – the worldly kids or the children whose parents want them to be salt & light?

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14, NKJV

4. Children will not always tell their parents when they’re struggling.

We may think our kids will share their struggles with us, but consider this: Did you always confess to your parents about sin in your life? Or did you try to hide it? Why, then, do we think our children will do any differently?

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.” James 1:14-16 ESV

5. I believe that Christian students being in public school hurts the testimony of Jesus more than it helps.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of kids will succumb to peer pressure at some point, and other children notice that. I remember hearing others say many, many times in public school that, “So-and-so said he’s a Christian, but look at what he just did last weekend. Christians are hypocrites.”

“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’” 1 Corinthians 15:33, ESV

6. Homeschooling can be time-consuming. So is public school.

You mentioned in your note to me that homeschooling takes up most of the day – I will agree that homeschooling can be time-consuming. But between homework, parent-teacher conferences, paperwork, etc., public school can be time-consuming, too.

Part of the beauty of homeschooling is that, unlike public or private school, it’s flexible.

Since sharing the gospel is important to you, you can absolutely incorporate that into your school day, even if it means leaving something else out. You can spend 15 minutes each morning studying the Bible with your children, then make a point to wrap up a little early one time per week so you can go to the park or library and seek out conversations with others.

I don’t know your exact family dynamic, but I do know the opportunities, and the time, will be there if it’s something you’re prayerfully prioritizing.

“My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:12-13

If you don’t know how to simplify your school day to allow more time for sharing the gospel, I highly recommend watching my Simplify Your Homeschool Routine masterclass.

Preparing our children for life:

Another thing you mentioned in your letter to me is wanting our children to be prepared for the harshness of life, so I’ll address that now.

1. Public school is very far from the real world.

I talked about this more in my other homeschool article, but basically, in my own personal experience, going from homeschool to public high school my freshman year was crushing to my spiritual life.

Going from homeschool into the work force and a community college a few years later, however, was great.

At work and college, there wasn’t the peer pressure that had been there my freshman year of high school. Anyone who harassed someone else was kicked out. People paid (college), or were getting paid (work) to be there and therefore many wanted to do a good job.

2. Homeschool kids have more time for spiritual training.

Since I had taken Christian science classes while being homeschooled for my sophomore and junior years of high school, and was therefore somewhat grounded in my faith about Christian evidences, I knew better than to believe the professors who taught things that directly contradict God’s Word.

Other homeschool graduates I’ve discussed this with had similar experiences.

3. Home is a wonderful place to prepare kids for life.

As a homeschool parent, my own children have learned about drugs, alcohol, cursing, lying, stealing, adultery, and many other forms of sin simply because we live in the world, and these things come up, even at a surprisingly young age.

When this happens, my husband and I are generally nearby and are able to help our children navigate through those issues from a Biblical perspective instead of our children hearing – and believing – inaccurate information they learn on a playground or in a classroom.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7, NKJV

4. It’s possible to learn about evolution and false doctrine through a Biblical worldview.

My children, and many other homeschooled kids, are very familiar with evolution, false doctrine, etc., because the parents intentionally choose curriculum that teaches those topics with a Biblical world view (it’s one reason I love Apologia Science and Notgrass History!).

Navigating through worldly information together from a Biblical perspective as needed is very different than our children being taught, oftentimes without our knowledge or consent, about the same topics without the lens of the Gospel (again, I go back to the 25% retention rate vs. 94% retention rate {source}).

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:40, ESV

5. Not every young adult is prepared to face the world – homeschooled or not.

While I know there are homeschool children who leave home unprepared to face the world, can’t the same be said of many public school children as well? The problem therein doesn’t lie in homeschooling itself, but instead it lies in other factors.

Additionally, it is our job to prepare our children for life. It’s not the school system’s job to do that, or a friend or babysitter’s. Not even our preacher or our child’s Bible class teacher or a youth minister are responsible for the care and keeping of our children’s souls the way we are.

“[The virtuous woman] looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27, ESV

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6,  ESV

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4, NKJV

In conclusion:

We are told in 2 Timothy 1:7 that God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind. If fear doesn’t come from God, then it’s coming from the devil.

And if we’re fearful that homeschooling will not allow our families the opportunities we need to spread the gospel, then we’re listening to the devil himself regarding the issue (and please know that I say this very non-judgmentally – fear is something I personally struggle with, so I truly understand the battle).

^“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’” Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV).

Remember that in the above passage, and others like it, Jesus was speaking directly to his disciples (grown adults), not to children.

Yes, public school is very much part of the world, but it’s the trained Christian teachers and administrators who should be speaking the gospel in those environments, not our untrained children. And yet, even Christian teachers are not allowed to do so. Their hands are tied in the very place they have the most influence.

Furthermore, don’t most homeschooled children see public school children outside of school? I know mine do. Like I mentioned a few minutes ago, from the park, to neighborhood friends, to sporting events and other extracurricular events, literally everywhere we go between the hours of 3pm & bedtime is full of non-Christian public school children – and their parents or grandparents! – whom we can seek to influence with the gospel.

Remember what we’re told in Luke 6:40 “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher” (NKJV). Do you want your children to be like the worldly teachers (and remember that even Christian teachers have to teach worldly teachings in school), or do you want them to be more like Christ?

If you’re reflecting Christ, you’re the best teacher for your child.

Don’t think you’re better than a trained professional? We’ve already discussed in my other homeschool article that homeschool kids excel academically. But, let’s pretend for a minute that they don’t. Remember that academics matter for a lifetime (or less). Souls matter for eternity.

¹² And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. ¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. ¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:12-14, NKJV

Or, as Debra Bell said in The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling,

“Homeschooling does not guarantee a child’s salvation… but it’s an option with impressive results… I want to foster in my children the love that comes from academic achievement. But – and that’s a big ‘but’ – character is paramount. When our kids ultimately stand before the throne of grace, they won’t be bringing their transcripts and SAT scores with them. It will be their hearts the Lord will examine.” (emphasis mine)

If you are leaving your children in public school so they can possibly be salt & light, I urge you to reconsider whether it’s really worth it to you to risk their very souls for all eternity, for the very unlikely chance of saving another.

This answer was probably much longer than you expected, but I hope it was helpful to you, Angela. Please don’t hesitate to reach out again if you have any more questions or need clarification on anything I mentioned. If you want to homeschool but are on the fence because of the salt & light issue, I hope you will prayerfully consider the issue from a different perspective.

-Davonne

P.S. Friends, if any of you want to homeschool, but you’re concerned because you know you’re not reflecting Christ to your children, then you can change that. This article has great thoughts and Biblical advice for getting started, and I would love to point you to more Bible studies if you need any additional help in this area.

Do you have any questions you’d like me to address in an upcoming article? Leave a comment or send me an email and let me know!