Don’t you love Psalm 127:3-5 ?
Sons are a heritage from the Lord; Children a reward from Him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
These verses paint an interesting picture in our minds: a picture of a quiver full of arrows being compared to a person blessed with children. That person is especially blessed if his quiver is full.
God has put within our hearts – even some would say our instincts - to want children. The announcement that a baby is on the way is almost a universal time of great rejoicing.
What will be the baby’s gender? Who will it look like? What kind of personality will it display?
There is great anticipation.
So we know that children are a blessing, but let’s think about the specific message God has for us in this quiver picture. What’s so significant about arrows in the quiver?
In one respect, lots of arrows signify plenty of backup in case you need it. When families share vision and a common purpose, they grow to depend on each other. In this process, they share love and appreciation – and confirm the value of each one.
You know that your family is always there for you to back you up. They understand you on a level that most people never will.
Yet there is another element about arrows. They don’t stay in the quiver. They are shot out – sometimes landing long distances from their origin.
So what is God saying?
He’s saying that we are blessed to have our children, but they are not our own. They are His people and they belong to Him. We get the privilege of sharing with these precious ones for all of our lives on earth, but they have their own missions and their own purposes from God.
We shoot them out of our homes into their destinies with God.
Our part is to help them develop into the individuals who will fulfill their purposes.
First, We pray for them, of course. And we never stop praying for them. Even when they are adults and out on their own, we know that they need the prayers of their mother.
Second, we bring them up in the ways of God. We teach them the principles from God’s Word, and we teach them to trust God. We teach our children the covenant they have as children of God – and the importance of keeping our part of the covenant.
Third, we look for their talents and encourage them to pursue their best. Everyone has gifts from God. Some are obvious, and some are more subtle. As a mother, you know your children and you see what needs to be developed for their growth and for their eventual fulfillment. As you pray and observe, you will notice areas which should be emphasized and strengthened.
Finally, we bring discipline. When errors arise, as they do in every life, we correct and help them get back on the path. The discipline is not done with anger, but with love and patience. These special people know that our correction is coming from a heart of love, but we do correct. We are not afraid to make our offspring angry in the process of discipline. They need our wisdom and correction – and later they will thank us for our attention to their conduct.
We will be sending these arrows out into the world for their special missions from God. If we do our part, God will certainly do His. He will cause our children to rise up and call us blessed. They will be thankful for the love and care we offered them during their time at home and throughout their lives.
They will be thankful for the godly foundation which has propelled their lives.
And we will be thankful for the joy they bring us.
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