Having Children Is Tactical

Today I read,

“Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain…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.”

I always liked this passage because I love my children but only today did I full understand Solomon’s wisdom when writing it.  A father knows that life brings crises, and he also knows that there is no way to know how his family will respond especially if the crisis is overwhelming and humanly impossible to overcome.  Will his family show up?  That is why Solomon says,

“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one’s youth.”

 

Every family will be confronted with the enemies of tragedy and disaster and will only survive if all the family shows up, stands together, toes the line.  But the real wisdom of Solomon is proved in the last two lines of his Proverb,

“They will not be ashamed

When they speak with their enemies in the gate.” 

A family will always show up at the gate and loudly declare to the enemy, “Not in our house, Not on our watch!!!”

I know the truth of this because lately I have sat Proudly, weary and worn behind my children as they stood strong and faithful at our gate declaring thus to our enemy, “Greater is He who is with us, than you!!!”