Married couples who decide to have children desire a good thing.

The Bible is full of passages that describe the blessings related to bearing and raising children.

In Old Testament times, parents who had many children were considered to be extraordinarily blessed by God.

At the same time, women who were unable to bear children were thought to be under God’s curse.

Although we recognize today that there is no link between the size of one’s family and the blessings of God, this attitude reveals just how valuable and important children were to the people of ancient times, and particularly to the Hebrews, the children of God.

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate (Psalm 127:3-5).

The Hebrew word for “sons” in verses 3 and 4 also can be translated as “children.”

The word children in verse 3 is a translation of two Hebrew words that literally mean “fruit of the womb.” Children are fruit, the product of their parents’ fruitfulness.

Thus, married couples who have children fulfil one of God’s purposes for marriage: “Be fruitful and increase in number” (Gen 1:28a).

Married couples who decide to have children desire a good thing.

Verse 4 in Psalm 127 compares children to arrows in a warrior’s hand, and verse 5 states that a man whose “quiver” is full of children is blessed.

Arrows are not made to stay in the quiver, however, but to be shot from a bow at the target. As long as an arrow rests in the quiver it cannot fulfil the purpose for which it was made.

The same is true with children. Children rest for a time in the “quiver” of their home and family while they learn and grow to maturity, but the day eventually comes when they need to be released into the world.

Only then can they fulfil the purpose and unleash the full potential that God has implanted in them.

It is the role of the parents to prepare their children to leave the quiver.

God is looking for godly offspring (see Mal. 2:15), and godly offspring come about best through godly parents.

His goal is for His children to have His nature and His character—to be like Him.

The best way to become like God is to imitate Him. Only believers and followers of Christ can truly become like God because to do so requires the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Writing to the body of believers in Ephesus, Paul had this to say:

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:1-2).

Jesus Christ, Himself is our model. As Jesus is toward us, so we should be toward our children.

One of the goals of parenting is to raise children who act like their parents, who share similar beliefs and values.

an example is the greatest teacher of all, and children learn more from the lifestyle modelled by their parents than from anything their parents say.

Actions really do speak louder than words. Proverbs 20:11 says, “Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.”

Where do children learn pure and right conduct if not from their parents? For better or for worse, the attitudes and behaviour of children reflect the parenting they have received.

In the vast majority of cases, behavioural problems in children and adolescents can be traced back to poor parental modelling.

As Jesus is toward us, so we should be toward our children.

Good parenting is no accident. It cannot be done passively or from a distance, either physically or emotionally.

Effective parenting is focused, intentional, and deliberate. Parents must plan for success, and godly offspring is the goal.

If our children grow up sharing our moral, ethical, and spiritual values, we have succeeded as parents.

If they learn to love, worship, follow and serve the Lord, we have succeeded as parents.

Who of us would not take the greatest care to protect and preserve a treasure in our possession?

There is no greater treasure on earth than our children.

They are a heritage from God, and as godly parents, we have a responsibility and an obligation under God to treat them as such.

Our goal is to produce godly offspring who will glorify and honour their heavenly Father.