Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. – James 5:7 (NKJV)
Every farm season is different. One year farmers get into the fields early in April while the next year finds them waiting anxiously for the ground to dry out in late May. Sometimes there is plenty of summer rain, and other times the heavens seem like brass. Similarly, there are many different types of soil. One of the best is loam, which has a higher pH level and drains well due to its gritty texture. On the other hand, clay can be so hard that it sheds water like a duck’s back. Between these variables, it is little wonder that some people compare farming to playing in Las Vegas.
The farmer is responsible to work the dirt, fertilize properly, and get the seed into the ground. If he is not faithful at his end, his probability of success drops dramatically. Success, however, is not guaranteed simply because he does everything right; he still needs intervention from above. Fortunately, God promises seedtime and harvest. Still, it takes tremendous patience to wait for the rain to come, the insects to stay away, and the crop to make it to harvest.
Homeschooling patience is similarly demonstrated when we realize that the soil of each our children’s hearts is different and therefore there is no “one size fits all” education. God gives each of our children different gifts, and they must be taught to steward these gifts appropriately. Furthermore, while we love all of our children the same, we should not treat them the same because their spiritual, educational, physical, and emotional needs are all different.
Above all, we have to realize our need to wait patiently for God to reveal His will in their lives. This is where true homeschooling faith is exhibited as some of our children mature early and others later. Just as we do not want to slow down the former, we do not want to rush the latter ahead of God’s sovereign timetable. One homeschool father shared that their math experience was so miserable they stopped after their first year of high school with one of their daughters. What it was doing to her emotionally simply wasn’t worth the benefit that algebra, geometry, and trigonometry would bring. Ironically, once that pressure was off of her, she began to develop naturally and when she went to college she majored in, of all things, STATISTICS!
While we recognize there can be a time for intervention, the best tool at our disposal is often patience. Like the farmer, our best job description is to wait patiently for the early and latter rains from God in the lives of our children.
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