“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.”
God has taken a life that he loves, that he wants nurtured to love him and serve him, and entrusted it into your care—no greater privilege could he give you!
As you watch your children grow, (whether you are their natural or spiritual parent), you realise that their whole lives are being shaped by their experiences in their early years. As you train your children to love God above all else and to share Christ with others and to see every situation as a ministry opportunity, you are shooting them like arrows into the future.
Long after your own influence in this world has faded, your children and their children after them will be serving God and building his Kingdom in the lives and hearts of those around them. The time you spend giving your kids a godly heritage will bear far greater fruit in the long run than time spent in your own ministry to others.
If you are a parent, you do not have to choose between your own ministry and discipling your children, but the Lord is reminding you not to let the balance swing away from your children for too long. They are God’s gift to you. And your years of influence in their lives will not last forever!
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