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FACING YOUR FEARS – 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.
Last week I read an article, “5 Reasons Not To Have Children.” Just the title is shocking to me! This article evoked strong feelings as my thoughts were forced to view a secular perspective of child-bearing with no hint of American cultural values, much less any Christian values. I have 7 reasons to have children, pictured above. 
While the size of families is completely according to God’s individual plan, the most important Biblical principle we must cherish above all others is the gift of life itself. Every human being has a soul and that soul is loved and cherished by God; life is sacred. In light of the aforementioned article, my thoughts turned towards what the Bible says about having children and while there are probably more reasons to list, today I’ve written five Biblical reasons to have children.
1. As human beings, we are fulfilling our God-given mandate to be fruitful and multiply when we have children.
Genesis 1:28 “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Following God’s instruction provides feelings of fulfillment- just a perk of obedience!
2. Children are God’s gift to us.
Psalm 127:3 “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.”
I can personally attest to the gift of children. Over and over again. This is not to say that you will not have any trials as a parent; parenting is certainly not for the faint of heart. But the blessings of parenting far outweigh the burdens.
3. Children give purpose and meaning to our work.
Psalm 127:4&5 “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.”
These two verses are a bit difficult to relate to in today’s culture; how do children compare to arrows and what in the world is a quiver? In ancient times, the bow and arrow were necessities for a thriving homelife. If a man did not hunt and bring home food, if he had no arrows to use while hunting, then there was no food on the table. To have arrows in your quiver, or holder, could be compared to us working a job so that we have money in the bank. The arrows were part of the necessary hunting equipment which in turn provided a thriving environment. This analogy is used to explain that children are a critical part of God’s divine economy.
4. Children bring joy to our lives.
Prov. 23:24 “The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.”
I could give example after example of how much joy my children bring in my life! Here’s one, if you’d like.
5. The earthly relationship between children and parents is representative of the relationship between Christians and the Heavenly Father.
Luke 11:11-13 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Do you have a verse that reminds you of how important your role as a parent truly is? We’d love to read it in the comments below!
Rachel- RachelWojo.com
Proverbs 17:6: Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.”
Beautiful verse! Thanks for sharing!
my husband just mentioned to me that mortgage companies are discouraging home buyers from having children… they’re trying to tell people that if they want to buy a house, they should think about waiting on having kids. what?? i mean, the main reason to own a house is so that your children can have room to grow, and live. i was so bugged by this. it’s either, own a house, or have children. well, i have children, and if i never get a house, i still will have the better choice.
wow. That is interesting. Bless you Shari!
Thank you for your post today. My husband and i just celebrated our 17 year anniversary this weekend. we’ve longed to have kids of our own. we’re hoping to adopt. would you please help us get the word out?
Have a great day!
Stacey
Here’s our adoption websites. Please help us get the word out!
http://www.adoptionnetwork.com/waitingfamilies/show.html/6934/photos
(Watch our YouTube video)
http://www.theadoptionfoundation.com/adoption-unplanned-pregnancy-waiting-families-profile.html?id=7150
http://www.courageouschoice.com/album.php?id=6534
http://www.adoptionspacebook.com/view_photos.html?id=7150
Praying for God’s peace as you travel this journey! What a treasure you are seeking- to directly follow after God’s own heart. Blessings to you!
Love this! Wish I had this wisdom when I was first married. I had no idea how deceived I was with secular humanism, but thankful for the family we are blessed with.
You’re blessed! and you know that, so that’s awesome!
Rachel,
Thank you SO much for countering the cultural call to NOT have children! You are SO right…the blessings far outweigh the burdens!! Great post!
Is there any difference between having your own biological children and adopting? My husband and I have no children, but we are looking at permanent birth control so we can adopt. Its not that we cant have children, but we want to provide for as many as we can without having to produce another need. And I guess Im still struggling with wanting to have a biological child.
Oh Sasha! That’s such a tough one! I was adopted, so I understand the blessing of being the daughter of two parents who loved me as their own. But I also know that if your heart longs for a biological child, that perhaps it’s best to pray before you have some type of permanent birth control done. It’s a natural desire to have children. Many can’t have children of their own and it breaks their heart. But since you can have children and you have a desire to have children, I think it is important for you to hear from the Lord on this before you do something so permanent.
Even if you have a child of your own, you could still adopt, foster and make a difference in the lives of those who have no parents or bad parents. Tara Dovenbarger (one of the M.O.M.s on the team) fosters and she would be a good one to talk to about that.
I’m praying for you that the Lord will show you His will for you and your hubby’s life. I look forward to hearing how He leads you! Please keep us posted!
Thanks so much for your prayers! Over the last month, we have been thinking and praying a lot about this and have decided that this is what God is calling us to! It definitely wasn’t easy, having a child is something I will always desire, but God wanted me to hand it over to Him. His ways are not ours, and if He can be more glorified through this, then bring it! There is so much freedom and joy in surrendering yourself to Him, and knowing that He’s got something even better in store!