Articles
Choose Abundant Living (4)
Choose Abundant Living 4
Choose Children
Mike Willis
The Psalmist wrote, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate” (Psa. 127:3-5).
The Bible presents children in a different light than twenty-first century Americans do. Whereas the Bible presents a childless woman as missing the blessings of life (see, for example, Sarah [Gen. 16:1-2], Rebekah [Gen. 25:20-21], and Rachel [Gen. 30:1]), modern women look upon their children as disposable, inconvenient intrusions who disrupt their plans for life. It is an understatement to say that twentieth and twenty-first century families have not shown the same strengths of character, family bonding, etc. that were characteristic of most of their forefathers.
I have survived my children’s teenage years when we went through those years of transition from young adults to adulthood. I look back fondly on those years when we had kids at home. I am sure my memory has blotted out many unpleasant times, but we enjoy being together today and laughing about those things we did things together. I have lived to watch my children grow up to become responsible adults, marry wonderful mates, and then give birth to the most beautiful, perfect grandchildren in the world. No memories that I have are so pleasant as the memories of my children. Nothing in my life compares to family. And, to my surprise, God used my mate and my children to make a better me!
It is sad to witness Americans’ distorted view of family. Our children are expected to become sexually active at the time of puberty, leading many of them to become pregnant outside of wedlock and looking for the nearest Planned Parenthood Clinic. The Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan reported that “11.5% of young adult males reported having four or more sexual partners in the prior 12 months vs. 7.5% of females” (November, 10, 2021, https://isr.umich.edu/news-events/news-releases/american-young-adults-report-having-fewer-sexual-partners-higher-rates-of-abstention/).
The Bible order for sexuality is this: grow up enough to become skilled in order to support a family, get married, enjoy sexuality within the confines of marriage, have children. If a couple gets these out of order, he is likely to find life more difficult. Here are some likely scenarios: having to drop out of school to support a wife and children, less financial security because one works as an unskilled laborer, conflicts over finances that sometimes lead to divorce, fights over who has custody of children and how much child support one has to pay, etc. None of these scenarios are pleasant.
Those who follow the guidelines in God’s word will enjoy a life without many of the hardships brought to a family because of sin. Make life easier on yourself by following God’s word.
