The school year is already upon us and many of us have spent the morning getting our kids ready for school, taking pictures on the front step, and dropping them off for their first day in a new grade. Many of us also worry through the entire day. We ask ourselves, “Will they be okay?” “Will they make friends?” “Will they make the right choices?” It really doesn’t matter if they are going into kindergarten or walking into their last year as a senior; we always worry. As we set our kids loose in their schools, let us remember the words of God,
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. (Psalm 127:3-5a)
God compares children to arrows in the hands of a warrior, and there are few things about children that this comparison should teach us:
- Children are important
- It may seem silly to say this, but our children matter. To a warrior, arrows represent their ability to fend off attackers and win the battle. They are important, even crucial, to the success of a warrior. We must never look at our children as an inconvenience or a hassle. It is very easy for children to misunderstand our words and attitudes, so we must be clear. They are important to us. They are loved. They are valued. We have to tell them that and tell them often, and we need to show them with our time and attention.
- It may seem silly to say this, but our children matter. To a warrior, arrows represent their ability to fend off attackers and win the battle. They are important, even crucial, to the success of a warrior. We must never look at our children as an inconvenience or a hassle. It is very easy for children to misunderstand our words and attitudes, so we must be clear. They are important to us. They are loved. They are valued. We have to tell them that and tell them often, and we need to show them with our time and attention.
- Children need preparation
- Okay, think about this for a second… what has to happen to an arrow before it is shot? It has to be drawn back!!! Our children need to be prepared!!! No, I am not talking just about school, nor am I talking about sports practice. Our children need to be prepared to live for Jesus in a world that it is still hostile towards God. When they are young, we teach them right and wrong, we teach them to be generous, and we teach them to be kind to others. As they grow older, we teach them how to navigate peer pressure, we teach them how to apply the Bible to any situation, and we teach them how to share their faith with others. These are things they will not learn magically on their own. Arrows must be drawn back to be effective and our kids must be trained by us!
- Okay, think about this for a second… what has to happen to an arrow before it is shot? It has to be drawn back!!! Our children need to be prepared!!! No, I am not talking just about school, nor am I talking about sports practice. Our children need to be prepared to live for Jesus in a world that it is still hostile towards God. When they are young, we teach them right and wrong, we teach them to be generous, and we teach them to be kind to others. As they grow older, we teach them how to navigate peer pressure, we teach them how to apply the Bible to any situation, and we teach them how to share their faith with others. These are things they will not learn magically on their own. Arrows must be drawn back to be effective and our kids must be trained by us!
- Children must be launched
- The hardest thing for any parent is to let their kid go. But arrows are not weapons unless they are launched! Parents, we have to keep the end in mind. Ultimately, our end is to see our kids grow up, and live for the glory of God!!! We have to remember that our kids will not and cannot stay with us forever. We must let them go, launch them, into the world to make a difference for Jesus. They may do that by serving faithfully in the church. They may do it by answering the call to missions; foreign or domestic. They may do it by having a career; working as unto the Lord. They may even do it by faithfully raising their children (your grandchildren) to fear the Lord. Every job is important and we send them on their way!
I’m praying for you!!!!
