"Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children 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 opponents in court."
Psalm 127:3-5 NIV
The first time I saw my daughter Alexa had to be one of the most unforgettable moments of my life. I clearly remember looking at her for the first time and feeling the ecstatic joy that just flew out of my heart making me want to dance, shout and jump all over the place. I will never forget that moment.
While being a parent is not for everyone and I completely respect and understand those who have no plans to have children, my heart really goes out to those who believe the lie that children are a burden. And I'm not just talking about childless young adults who would prefer careers over children, but also about existing parents who sadly view their children as excess baggage that they can't wait to leave with the grandparents, send off to school or kick out of the house when they grow up.
Psalm 127:3 says it best when it describes children as a heritage and reward. A heritage is defined as an inheritance, which is always something desirable and beneficial to us. In many ways, children are the same in that they bring so many good things the same way an inheritance would. The other way children are described in scripture is as a reward. Rewards are something that athletes, competitors and champions fight so terribly hard for because they know the value and honour that comes with them.
I'm not saying that being a parent is never a challenge or that parents will never have hard times with their children. But even in the challenge and difficulty we can face as parents, they always come out as worth it in the end. It only makes sense that parenting be hard because many of the most valuable things in life are hard to gain and even harder to maintain.
"Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." What a joy it must be to be fully equipped with "arrows" that we can launch into the calling God has for them. Not into the purpose and direction that we want for them, but God's.
Being a parent is a great honour that God bestows upon men and women, and though many times we don't deserve to be parents and many times we will fall short, God's grace will always be more than sufficient to sustain us and make us flourish in this call if we have the right view of parenting - not something that is a burden, but something that is a blessing.
