Truth For Lies Chapter 3 Part 1

Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe by Todd Wilson

Chapter 3 - Part 1

February 3, 2012

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16

How do we rightly deal with the lies we believe?

“I hesitate to use the words ‘things you can do...’ because none of the ideas we are going to talk about have to do with ‘more doing.’
“All the things you can do take place in your head and heart. It’s about what you believe about yourself, God, your children, and others.
“...think and do things that will feel uncomfortable and will go against your natural tendencies...and that’s good, because your natural tendencies are to believe THE LIES.” p. 52

1. Be Real

“We Christian homeschoolers don’t like to be REAL. In fact, we are encouraged not to be real or are criticized when we are. So we do the only reasonable thing we can do--hide. Actually, we’ve been hiders since the very beginning of time.” p. 53

Genesis 2-4 Adam and Eve:
1. “They were naked and not ashamed...” Gen 2:25
2. Something happened to change all of that: They sinned.
3. What was the first thing they did after they sinned? They hid. Gen. 3:6-11
4. Why did they do that? “I would say that the root of their fear was this: ‘If God knows what we are really like, maybe He won’t like us anymore.” p. 53-54

But... “God knew what they were really like before they ate the fruit and after they ate the fruit, and He loved them just the same.”

Romans 5:6-10

Yet, we continue to struggle...
“Ever since that day, people have been hiding for the very same reason. If God and others know what I am really like, maybe they won’t like me anymore.
“Homeschooling moms look at them (images of perfect homeschooling families) and then look at their own families and think, I can’t let them see the real us. They’d be shocked because all good homeschooling families look like them...we’re the only dysfunctional homeschooling family on the planet.” p. 54-55

So we hide...
“...until we have a whole homeschooling population of hiders wearing masks of deception like actors on a stage.” p. 55

The Bi-Product of Hiding:
“It’s the terrible realization that you have to keep playing the game, which leaves you feeling alone and isolated, wishing so bad that someone would find you out but at the same time being scared to death that someone will.
“You feel like you can’t go on pretending to have it all together another minute, but you’re so also so afraid to stop playing the game.” p. 56

The Bi-Product of Being REAL:
“...freedom and healing.
“One of the greatest benefits of being REAL is people can pray for you and healing takes place.”
“No one prays because no one knows what to pray for...because most homeschooling moms are not REAL.” p. 57-58

James 5:16 - “The promise along with confessing is healing!!!”
Gal. 5:1
John 8:31-36

2. Be a REAL Listener
“Not only do you need to BE REAL, you also need to ALLOW OTHERS to BE REAL with you.” p. 58
“That kind of understanding opens the doorway to freedom, sharing, and deeper relationships. p. 59“
“Did you know that if you are a capable and diligent home educator, YOU could be a source of discouragement to others and at the same time cause others NOT to be REAL? You may share your ideas and gifts, thinking you are offering help but it only serves to reinforce the lie that someone else might believe.” p. 59-60

So, how then, can we help?
Don’t:
> feel the need to jump in and offer solutions
> judge others’ homeschooling methods or styles
> allow yourself to smugly think more of yourself and your choices

Do:
> empathize with others
> share some of the struggles you’ve faced in your homeschooling journey
> offer to pray for a friend and her homeschool
> ask her to pray for yours

1 Peter 4:8
Gal. 6:1-4
Rom. 12:9-16; 14:13; 15:1-7;
Eph. 4:14-16; 25; 32
Phil. 2:1-4
*Col. 3:13-17
Heb. 10:24-25

Discussion:
Who is the REALEST person you know?
What makes them so REAL?
Discuss the difference between being REAL and condoning sin.
In what area is it the hardest for you to be REAL?
Why do you think that is?
What do you normally ‘hide’ behind?
Do you think others feel like they can be REAL with you? Why or Why not?
How can someone pray for you in the are of REALness?