Articles
Yes, It’s True…
Yes, It’s True…
Perry M. Hurst
“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord , The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate.” (Ps.127:3-5)
Yes, it’s true… children ARE a blessing from the Lord! Even when you are awakened from a sound sleep and have to get up in the middle of the night to satisfy the needs of that newborn? Even when it happens not once, but several times throughout the night and you find yourself dragging the next day due to a lack of sleep? Even when it seems as if you find little time to do anything other than change dirty diapers? Even when those “terrible twos” come and your patience in running thin? Even when that little mind keeps asking “why this” and “why that” and you think back to the early days when they couldn’t talk so well? Even when you have to leave the “church services” to discipline them in some form or fashion? Even when it happens several times… in one service? Even when you have to punish them so as to teach and train them to behave properly? Even when they break this or spill this or do something that clearly indicates they detached their brain and left it laying somewhere outside their body? Even when they become more and more independent and you realize they are growing up much too fast? Even when they reach a point where they “know it all” and you as a parent, are old and “unintelligent” (a nicer word than “dumb”)? Even when, years later, they begin to realize you were right about a lot of things and not so “unintelligent” after all? Even when they have their own children and begin to walk in your shoes?
Yes… the joys of parenthood! Our minds flood with memories! Their first word spoken! Will it be “daddy” or “mommy” (or perhaps “dog”). Then there’s the point in time when they begin to eat solid food, then feed themselves, then no more diapers, then…. (and on and on).
In Lk.1:66, there were some unusual things taking place surrounding the birth of John the Baptist which caused people to wonder, “What will this child turn out to be?” Do we not also wonder the same thing about our children? Not only in the “secular world” but especially within the confines of the spiritual realm. What will our child turn out to be? A mechanic? A computer technician? A Doctor? A teacher? Or most importantly, a Christian? A seeker of the things of God? A devout servant of the Lord? A godly man or woman, a godly husband or wife, a godly parent, etc.? The answer to this depends at least, in part, on what kind of parents we are (“Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov.22:6)
What will our children remember from their childhood? Loving discipline? Fun family times? Spiritual activities in the home, time devoted to the Word, prayer, etc.? Will they remember that when it came time to assemble with the brethren and worship God, that there was no question where our family was going to be? Will they remember the joy and desire that they saw in daddy and mommy in being with other Christians during such occasions (or do they see something entirely different)? It is a blessing to hear the cries of little ones at the services of the local church. It reminds us that the church has a future. It reminds us that there are godly parents trying to instill “the things of God” into their children and are putting forth the effort to do so. It can be very frustrating for parents during those early years especially when the edification you need to receive from being with others in a worship service is hindered somewhat by the distraction of taking care of / training your young children.
To those parents… Let me be one of the first to say “thank you” for your efforts to teach and train your children “spiritually,” to put them in mind of God from their youth up. Myself and brethren like me applaud your efforts and support you in that righteous endeavor. We understand the challenge of training them spiritually (especially during a worship service), and the challenge of trying to not be a lingering distraction to the worship of others while also striving to gain the edification you yourself need from being “there” with other Christians. Yes, what a blessing to hear the infant cries and to know that with proper spiritual training, herein lies the future of the progress of the Kingdom, those who will glorify the Lord by their lives and be faithful to the cause of Christ! I remember the struggles my wife especially went through with our little ones, finding it necessary to take them out of the worship services on a regular basis to discipline and teach (while I was in the pulpit preaching). But it does get better and it’s all worth it when you begin to see the positive effects of those early years of training as your child reaches their young adult years and you see in them, a person who is striving to live a life of devotion to God! Parents, others notice your efforts and we appreciate you! By these words, please let us encourage and support you as you instill in your child / children the things of God!
God’s message to parents long ago is still a message we can make application of today, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deut.6:4-9). Yes, it’s true, our children are a blessing from the Lord!
