Interconnected: Relationshipsنموونە

To Let Them Fly

In this verse, Solomon paints a unique picture of biblical parenting. Maybe you’ve spent time at an archery range, and watched as the archer skillfully, patiently, and precisely places an arrow in his bow. He then aims at the target, slowly pulls back, and lets the arrow fly. It’s not a sport for the faint of heart, requiring grit, accuracy, and focus. And that’s why it makes sense that God would liken parents to warriors and children to arrows.

If the parent is the archer/warrior and our kids the arrows, what’s the bull’s-eye? Jesus outlines the target for us in Matthew 6:33 (NKJV):

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Our priority in stewarding our sweet arrows is to win their hearts to Jesus, evangelizing them into Heaven. We get to shape their worldviews; their interpretation of God’s character is often dependent on dad and mom. Whether or not they arrive at a true picture of Christ with ease or with striving is in many ways, up to us.

Tons of pressure, right? While parenting can often feel extremely burdensome, children are never an affliction. Every child is a divine blessing, fearfully and wonderfully made by God. It’s He who entrusts us with them and gives us the strength to aim them toward Heaven with a radical expectation of what He will do.

If we view parenting through the lens of our faith in Christ, we’ll catch God’s vision of the eternal impact we can have on and through our kids. And while each of our little arrows is extravagantly different, the target remains the same: a rich entry into Heaven. With God’s help, we as parents can rise up in faith as fierce warriors, believing that He will do more with our children than we could ever dream. And we can look toward the bull’s-eye, take a deep breath, and let those arrows fly.

DIG: How do you think of your kids? Do we tend to think of them as blessings or burdens?
DISCOVER: There isn’t a more influential earthly relationship than that of a parent and child. In what ways are you purposing to be a godly influence on your child?
DISPLAY: Take time today to study your arrows, and ask God to show you how to steward them in such a way that they can fly freely toward His kingdom.