ROOTED IN LOVE â—½ HOME
One thing I love about homeschooling is that my kids aren’t afraid to be themselves. In fact, they don’t know any different. Without peer pressure and the desire to fit in with other students, they’re free to bloom into exactly who they were created to be.
They’re not embarrassed to still call me Mommy or that I still tuck them in every night. They read books and watch shows they like, not whatever the popular thing is. Their sense of identity isn’t rooted in which crowd they’re accepted into or what other kids are saying about them. Their self-esteem isn’t constantly under attack, so it’s easier for them to be secure in who they are.
Now, I’m not saying kids in public school can’t be themselves. I just know from experience that it can be difficult. Growing up is confusing as it is, but adding others’ opinions into the mix makes it even harder to figure out who you are. As a pretty reserved kid in a rather large school, I often felt insecure and overlooked, and I had no strong sense of identity. I bent myself to fit into certain boxes in the hope that people would like me, and that unfortunately continued into adulthood. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I finally started to be comfortable in my own skin.
But that isn’t God’s heart for me, nor is it His heart for you. He wants us to be secure in our identity, because our identity is found in Him. He calls us His beloved children, His precious and treasured creations. He sees every tear that falls from our eyes and counts the number of hairs on our heads. He promised to be with us always and lead us like a good shepherd. He created us in His own image, and He loves us so much more than we could ever imagine.
With that in mind, how could we ever doubt our worth? We know who we are because we know whose we are. It doesn’t matter what other people think about us because we are daughters of the King of Kings. Therefore, we can have confidence in who we were created to be. We can keep our heads held high, knowing that nothing could ever pluck us from His hand. Even when we feel all alone, He is holding us tight. He will never stop loving us, and that should be enough to allow us to love ourselves. Maybe we don’t fit in with the world, but that’s okay. Fitting into the kingdom is far more valuable than any earthly acceptance.
You, my friend, are a precious creation. Don’t let the loud voices of this world dim your light. Listen to the still small voice, whispering that you are His. You don’t have to pretend to be someone else. You don’t need to strive to fit in. Today, tomorrow, and forever – you are loved.