1 Thessalonians 1:3
"We continually remember before our God and Father
your work produced by faith,
your labour prompted by love,
and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul wrote this to encourage the new christians in Thessalonica, but it struck me as a verse easily applicable to homeschoolers, an encouragement to 'keep up the good work'.  It is also a reminder to keep our motivation right.  I find it easy to slip into a teeth-grinding attitude of "this is the right thing, I must keep going at all costs", which is not healthy or good, and doesn't have any sort of stickability if the going gets tough.


Three motivations in this verse:

Work produced by faith - sometimes all we have to lean on is our faith in a Big God, and the knowing that he has called us, and therefore will enable us.

Labour prompted by love - we do what we do because of love.  Love for God and our families.

Endurance inspired by hope - our hope is not a vain one, it is in a real person - our Lord Jesus Christ.  This is what keeps us going.


Faith, love, hope - the same 'big three' of 1 Corinthians 13, in a different order.  Paul says there that the greatest is love.

 His love for us, our love for Him, and His love for others through us.

What a wonderful set of motivations.