Freedom, true freedom, is grounded in doing as one ‘ought’ to do. However, today’s trends teach that freedom is being able to do what one ‘wants’ to do. The ‘Ought To’s’ are a set of very specific commandments that tell us to love and serve outward, and, in doing so, one finds true freedom and peace. The ‘Want To’s’ include any and everything that is self gratifying and immediate, and in doing so, one finds bondage.
Ponder this for a moment. How the world’s definition of freedom affects how we parent, teach, discipline, think. It robs our resolve. Homeschoolers are idealists who believe that they can change the world one lesson at a time, one child at a time. However, technology makes it almost impossible to live in any sort of Bubble of Ideals unless we create a plan, set goals, practice daily and diligently to be and become active participants of true freedom.
Where are these influences hitting your home? If you want to do it all you are bound to junk food, stress, weariness, weight, moods, ill health; if you want to seek pleasure you bound to screens, costs, self; if you want riches you are in bound to work, schedules, meetings; and so on. Freedom is the ability to say ‘no’ to our wants, set limits for ourselves, challenge the status quo, go against the odds, etc which require a Long View built on the scale of generations, maybe even centuries.
Grandparents never say they wish they had spent more time at the office or had one less baby. They are at the point of seeing The Long View in retrospect. Age has shown them the sweetness, bitterness, or lack of their productions/fruit. In looking back they can see what they could not when immersed in the masses and busily becoming someone important through actively seeking what they (thought) they wanted. None of this is done with ill intent or malicious plans. The art of thinking has become passe. In choosing to homeschool you are laying claim to the use of your brain.
If what we are doing is for ourselves to get through this day with the most ease and enjoyment, there is no need for the long view, but if what we are doing is purposefully, thoughtfully aimed at our grand children and great grand children, then one cannot be, must not be bound to what one ‘wants’.
The teachings of ‘Ought To’s’ is the only way to bring about a cultural revolution of change for the rise of humanity in this, our divine earthly state rather than degrading to base beings. Through kindness, serving, loving one another we are bound to promoting the positive change that will benefit our world, and in that, our families, and ourselves. It must go out from oneself and be pure of intent in order that it return to self as benefit. Then it is with humility that we sit in awe and thanks of what has come about. There is no selfishness nor pride in doing as one ‘ought to’. There is commitment, discipline, contentment, hard work, and peace.
Historically we see this in the era of the Roman Empire where self indulgence was at an all time high. There were 8000 Christians vs. 60-million Romans with a growth rate of Christianity at 4% annually. The Christians followed the principals (commandments) of ‘ought to’ while the Romans followed the principles of ‘want to’. The Christians were committed to love one another, women’s rights, sanctity of marriage, family, not practicing infanticide, lives of moderation, and the care of the afflicted. They ultimately out-thought, out-loved, out-produced, and out-lived those bound by fulfilling their ‘wants’ to bring the empire into true freedom through the principles of ‘ought’.
It took about 300 years, but Someone began the first ripple of change that attracted others which led to immense change for an empire and ultimately a world. You homeschool because you wish to guide change toward a righteous direction. Let’s enlarge our vision! Where shall our goals shift to serve our great, great grandchildren? What changes will we make in order to enlarge the current ripple of true freedom into a future bright with peace, wisdom, health, life, and love?