The ‘Gamble’ of Children
Before you’re turned off by the title of this article, hear me out. From a purely human perspective, children are indeed a gamble. Though initially children bring joy to a couple, this product of intimacy soon becomes its rival. No longer can a couple center uninterrupted time on each other. About the time they try, baby demands attention. That innocent little child has quickly destroyed the good thing you had going. In all this God is building into a Christian couple meekness, a servant spirit, and lots of flexibility.
Children not only have the power to change our plans, they also have the potential for enlarging our outreach and influence in future years, or destroying it. In 1 Tim. 3:4 we read that a pastor must be, “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.” A few verses later, we read, “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” (3:12) This is true in a practical way of all spiritual leaders for it is based on this logic: For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? (3:5) Thus, a godly man like Samuel encouraged rebellion against God by having sons who were unfit for leadership. Thus also, Philip enlarged his later ministry through his godly daughters (Acts 21:8-9). Obedient, respectful children declare to those watching, “The Bible way works!” Disobedient, rebellious children say the opposite.
But children are not a gamble in the casino sense of gambling. They are a gamble in the farming sense. A farmer spends money on equipment, seed, fertilizer, pesticide, and lots of time with the hope of making a profit from his crops. But he does so according to the established law of sowing and reaping. He will do his part of working the soil and planting the seed. Then a wise farmer will trust God to do what only He can do, that is, to give the rain and sunshine necessary for the harvest.
Children are viewed as God’s blessing in Scripture. (Psalm 127:3-6) They are his heritage and a trust to us parents. We are in charge of doing all we can to take these rough sticks and make them into sharp arrows for His use. This is a daunting task and not one of us is qualified to do it until it is done. Then it is too late! That’s the bad news. The good news is that we have a handbook on parenting called the Bible. We need to base our parenting decisions on its wisdom, and on the way God parents us. Look for that as you read Scripture. And don’t forget to pray daily for them, that God would keep them from evil and that they would guard their hearts against the enticements around them.