By Lucas Cranach the Elder – Unknown source, Public Domain

I may not be speaking from out in the wilderness like John the Baptist, but still, from our home out in the pleasant country of northeast Texas, I have a message which will sound strange—very different from what you would hear in a typical high school… and even strange-sounding in most of the conservative Christian homeschool world.

Young ladies (and young men), perhaps well-meaning people have long asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  I was 9 or 10 years old when the question was first put to me, and at the time, I thought it was ridiculous for someone to ask me that question at such a young age.  (And my opinion of that sort of nonsense has not changed in the intervening years.)

But you are no longer a child, and womanhood (or manhood) is nigh upon you.  Now it is Time to begin to consider what the Lord is calling you to do with your life, in the vein of what profession you would pursue.  And this is what I would put to you:  Strive to do great things.

Now, in your youth, set your sights on doing great things during your short time on this earth, for the glory of God.

Young Ladies

There is a Reason why I’ve written to the young ladies and gentlemen separately.  Young ladies, I encourage you, above all, to set your sights on being a godly wife and mother, if God wills it.

The scriptures addressed to women uniformly exhort you to those roles.  Our society, and even perhaps the brothers and sisters at your own church, may look down on you for it, but this life is short, and eternity is long.  Better to please the Lord and carry out the work he created us to do, regardless of what any mere mortal thinks about it.

Application

With that in mind, now, if you’ve not already, I tell you to read the direction to the Young Men, and also take it to heart.

Desire to train yourself up to be a woman of great Wisdom and Understanding, so that you may give the best council to your husband as his helper, and so that you can give the best and most understanding instruction to your children as you raise them.

Pursue the best education that is available to you.  Begrudge it not, if God provides less education than you desire; trust his providence that he is equipping you perfectly for exactly the work he has for your life!  But as far as he provides you the opportunity to have a higher education, I encourage you to take it, with all of your heart!

It is hard to imagine, at your age, but when you become a wife and mother, you will not have time to pursue further education for yourself.  There is a very small window, at the beginning of life before you must take on the daily duties of adult work, when you have the opportunity to develop your mind.  However much you develop your Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom at this early stage of life will have an exponential impact on your understanding, and the work you do, for the rest of your life.

It is hard to explain how much more richness can be derived from life, when a mind is well-cultivated.  But again I remind you, Christianity is a religion of the mind.  God requires of us that our minds be obedient to him.  We are saved by faith (an action of our minds), through his grace (the work having actually been done by him!).

If you are offered the Advantage of an Excellent Education, work hard at it!  You will never regret it!

Further Application

Moreover, I hope you will be mindful of preparing yourself to educate your own children.  If you would see your sons given a Great Education, you should be as knowledgeable as you can be about history, literature, languages, science, mathematics, and above all the scriptures, so you can teach them and be available to answer their questions when they hit tough spots.  The best way to prepare to be a great teacher is to be well-learned, yourself.

And if it ends up being God’s will for you not to marry, again, you will be well-equipped to do whatever God calls you to all the better, with a well-trained mind.

Excerpted from, Rhetoric for Reformers, Wisdom Studies Year 1 (in the works).

Parents, maybe you can testify for our young ones.  Many of us trained for one career, or aimed for some lofty aspiration, worked hard, and achieved it!  And, I suppose, many of us aimed for some high goal, and worked hard, and never got to the exact place we were aiming for… but our lives were by far the better for our having worked toward that high thing.  Do you have an encouragement for our students?  Please share in the comments!

Thanks for dropping by; please keep us in prayer!