As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. — Psalm 127:4
Scripture is filled with great examples of parenting and children. There are good examples, bad examples, guidance, and even some warnings. Psalm 127 shares several concepts among the guidance and warning categories that all Christians should pay attention to, even if they do not have children.
The psalmist writes that children in their youth are just like arrows in the hand of a mighty man. You have to give some thought to the mighty man and the bow and arrows here to completely understand what is being said. A warrior in that day, they would have a bow and arrows. They wanted their pouch full of arrows, so they could use them in case they were needed in battle.
If that time come, they would pull those arrows out, put them into the bow shooting them across the field of battle. The warrior had full control over the direction of that arrow, up until the point that he let it go. If he pointed it in the right direction, there was a good chance of hitting the target. But if he were to aim wrong, he could easily find that his arrow missed the target completely.
Just as that warrior would point the arrows in the right direction, we must also point our children in the right direction. It is important that we teach them right and wrong. We teach them the things of God, helping them understand God’s word and the importance of it. It is important that we teach them how to pray and talk to God. While that applies to the parents, it also applies to all Christians that may be around children.
Children are watching everything we do as Christians, but they are also seeing everything this world is doing around us. They are seeing the wickedness that fills the halls of our government buildings. They are seeing the sin that takes place right on Main Street America, in plain view. The world is not trying to hide the things they are doing anymore, it is taking place right before their eyes.
As Christians, we need to live lives of Christian action. We do not need to be scared to show our faith and tell others about it. We should not be ashamed to pray, read God’s word, or stand up for what is right. The children of America are watching and the majority of what they see is wickedness. If we do not show them the right way, there is a good chance they will never find it on their own.
