It’s been a few months now since I finished working full-time. While it was difficult to say goodbye to coworkers, many of whom had become good friends and who I had worked with for nine years, we knew this was the best decision for our family and for our daughter.
I am grateful to be able to stay home with Savannah. I’m also enjoying doing some editorial contract work for LifeWay and Trevecca Nazarene University.
I want to briefly explain and share what the Bible says about children and how this fuels our desire and decision for me to stay home with our daughter, as well as how God has uniquely shaped humans to be different at birth than any other species of animal.
Psalm 127:4 says “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth” (ESV). Warriors must sharpen arrows and straighten the arrows (arrows are not straight to begin with). Similarly, we are to sharpen our children and guide them in the ways of Jesus Christ. Our culture is becoming more and more distant from God, and as parents we must be diligent in protecting our children and directing them in the ways of the Lord.
So, what does that mean day-to-day in how we are to raise our children? Psalm 127:4 is general and doesn’t give specifics, but Deuteronomy 6:6-7, a familiar passage, gives us more detailed insight. It says “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
The Bible is always to be our guide. We are to instill the truth of God’s Word and His commands in the hearts and minds of our children. This is a tremendous responsibility and a full-time job (but also a gift) as they are watching every little thing we say and do. The progression in verse 7 has always been interesting to me. We are to teach our children and talk about God’s Word “when [we] sit in [our homes], when [we] walk by the way, and when [we] lie down, and when [we] rise.” This conveys that we are to always be sharing and talking about God’s Word with our children. It’s easy to think they are too young, but we must never underestimate how soon they can learn and pick up tendencies, attitudes, and actions from us. We have been reading and singing to our daughter, and it’s important to us to start this habit now so that it will be easy to continue to make it a regular practice over the years to come for our family.
Isn’t it interesting how human babies are so unique from every other species of animal. Horses, cows, whales, and other mammals grow up able to defend themselves from predators, yet babies can only cry when they need something. God designed babies to depend on their parents to provide for them, to feed them, and to raise them according to His will. Not only do babies have physical needs, but they also have spiritual needs. They are born into sin no matter how cute and sweet they might be during their first few months and years of life. I’m very grateful to be able to be home with our daughter to tend to even the most basic needs she has. We prayed for a child for a long time and I am reminded of what a blessing she is and what a great responsibility God has given me, even on the days when the tasks seem to be the most mundane of changing her diapers and feeding her.
Looking back to Psalm 127:4, we are reminded of the parents’ role and God’s blessing of children that comes with significant responsibility—to form and shape these little ones according to God’s Word so that one day they will be able to teach the Bible to their children and grandchildren, pointing many generations to the one true King and Lord of all, Jesus Christ. We will certainly fail at times, but we are thankful for God’s grace and His faithfulness in guiding us on this parenting journey.