I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God (Psalm 78:2-8).

Our job is not just to prepare our children to compete academically or to fulfill a job description that might be a part of their future. Our job is to live the Word of God and teach the Word of God. Sheltering helps in this endeavor. Providing opportunities for meaningful labor and preparing our children to function in their God-given roles as wives or husbands is also significant. But it is being God-centered in all of our doings that is of utmost importance if we are truly seeking to fulfill the Biblical objectives of homeschooling. 

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Marc and Cynthia Carrier are authors and speakers. Together they have written The Values-Driven Family. The Carriers have been featured on Concerned Women for America, SRN News, LeSea’s The Harvest Show television program, and numerous other radio programs and publications. The Carriers homeschool their five children (with number six due in August) in rural Indiana. For more information or to purchase a book, visit http://www.valuesdrivenfamily.com/.

This article was originally published in the July/Aug ’07 issue of Home School Enrichment Magazine. For more details, visit http://homeschoolenrichment.com/