A Blessing and a Heritage

by Chadwick Brewer

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalms 127:3).

For most of history, having a large family was viewed as a blessing. For example, when Job’s wealth was listed in Job 1, his most prized and valuable blessing from God was his seven sons and three daughters.

It isn’t until very recently that we, as a society, have changed the way that we talk about children. Our self-indulgent, me-first culture has really changed our perspective. We encourage young married couples to wait to have children so they can savor their youth, not be burdened, and so they can focus on their careers. We encourage people to have fewer children so that they can take more vacations, have nicer things, and enjoy their golden years sooner and longer. Disparaging remarks are often made to those with larger families, even from other Christians.

But beyond how we talk about large families is how we treat children. Moms often rush back to work as soon as they can after the child is born. Grandparents and daycare spend more time, on average, with the children than parents do. We openly discuss their cost, how much they negatively affect our peace and the burden they bring.

For us as Christians, this has to stop. We need to see children as God sees them: a blessing and a heritage. We must start openly discussing how wonderful it is to be blessed by God. We must prioritize them over careers, nicer things, and vacations. We need to raise them as straight and virtuous arrows to be sent out into the world to be a blessing to others. Let’s be different as Christians and change the way we think, talk about, and act toward children.