The Impact that Parents have on their Children
I believe that children are the greatest gift God can give to a marriage.
In Psalm 127:3, Solomon calls children a heritage, an inheritance, a gift, and a reward from the Lord. Solomon’s father, King David, was someone who knew first hand the joys and challenges that comes with parenthood. Most scholars agree that David had 20 children during his lifetime. Even though he had to face many problems with some of his sons (Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah), and despite the mistakes he made as a father, in 1 Chronicles 22 David recognized the importance of raising his children according to the Word of God. After God revealed to David that his son Solomon and not he would build the temple of Jerusalem, which by the way was David’s most deep desire, David shows us the path that we as parents should follow: blessing our children and instructing them to walk with God.
Godly parents bless their children and instruct them to walk with God.Click To TweetIn verses 11 to 13, David prays for his son Solomon saying:
Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. May the Lord give you discretion and understanding…. so that you may keep the Law of the Lord YOUR God… Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
Even though we can not control how our children will be when they reach the doors of their adulthood, we can and should train them in the light of the Word of God, praying for them and with them, and shaping their lives through our example. God has given us a great reward that comes with a great responsibility. Parenting is not easy, but it is without a doubt the most enjoyable and pleasant job we can do.
Returning to Psalm 127, Solomon presents to us an image of our children. He says that they are like arrows and that through them we extend ourselves in life. They will do what we could not do. In this month that we have talked about impact, I believe that the greatest impact we can leave on this earth is the impact we have on our children. Will you pray for them and with them today?
