I want to shoot my kids!!!
Bring arrows
Introduction
In honor of Father’s day today I would like to take a look at Psalm 127:1-5
So if I am reading this correctly as fathers we should all want to “Shoot our children!!!” Now I know that can be understood several different ways and I don’t want to be misunderstood here today!!!
This was a song that was sung by the pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. As they came over the Mount Olives and saw the beautiful city they sang certain songs. This was one of them. It was sung to remind them of how blessed their lives would be if they walked in the ways of God, their country would be blessed and their families would be blessed.
Anyone can have children, but if we want to raise them right we need to make choices Vs. 1
This is telling us the difference between religious work and Holy Spirit inspired work. Anyone can build a building. Anyone can have children. But in order for a family to succeed and be a blessing to all, it must be built by God. Human enterprises only succeed by the Divine blessing.
“Except the Lord build the house” We can decide to have God help us with this challenge or we can do it on our own.
“Vain” is the key word here. It means empty, worthless and a waste. If God not with us then we will be like the Tower of Babel builders. They said, “Let us build a city and a tower,” and the Lord returned their words to them saying, “Go to, let us go down and confound their language.” In vain they toiled for the Lord’s face was against them.
“Unless the Lord build” How different was the story when the Lord told Solomon to build the Temple. He provided the funds, the labor and the material. He even provided the plan how to do it So to with us. How is the Lord going to build our families? He will provide the money, energy, vision, material, etc.
This Psalm deals with the areas of a man’s responsibility to his family. The Psalmist said that children were God’s gifts to their fathers. Vs. 3 “Children are a heritage from the Lord”
What is the goal of raising our children? “Shoot them”
There are several steps that fathers must take with their children to be good stewards. What is required of a father regarding his children? Look at them like arrows. Every parent should want to “Shoot their children!” verse 4. “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior so are the children of one’s youth. What is the similarity between arrows and children?
1st Help them to determine their purpose or develop their potential
There are different types of arrows. Arrows are all pretty much the same but not “exactly” the same. Some are short, some long, some heavy, some light, some for long distance, some for short distance. Some for practice, some for small game, some for large game. There are different types of arrows, but all have a purpose. (Look at different types of arrows and explain them) This is true with our children, all pretty much the same but not exactly the same. One of the biggest mistakes that many parents make is to think all their children are the same. It may take sometime but eventually we come to this realization. One child is neat, the other is messy. One child is smart the other is educationally challenged. One child is self-disciplined, the other is not. One child is musically talented the other is tone deaf. One child is athletically gifted the other trips over his feet.
The challenge is to find out what each child is good at. This takes time. How does a father help to determine their purpose or develop their children’s potential? Fathers need to spend lots of time with their children to discover who they are, what they are good at. There is not substitute for quantity time. Even good quality time is no substitute. Dad’s you have to be around, you have to be available to help discover what your child is all about. Then you can give them some direction.
Fathers take the time to stop what you are doing and show interest in what they are doing. Make it a point to talk to them. “How is it going? What are you working on in school? How is it going with your friends? Etc.” Encourage them.
In a survey of hundreds of children, children were asked what were the three things their fathers said most. (1) “I’m too tired” (2) “We don’t have enough money” (3) “Keep quiet.”
Each of these arrows becomes effective when it is used for what it was designed for. A target arrow is NOT suitable for hunting.
Be sure to give your children resources and lots of different opportunities.
2nd By shooting them we direct their paths
Each arrow can and should be directed to a target. The idea of shooting an arrow is to send it to a place that you cannot go! A man of war is glad of weapons which fly where he cannot: good sons and daughters are their father’s arrows speeding to hit the mark which they aim at.
Fathers we direct the path of our children by discipline. Fathers you must be diligent, refusing to give up on your children. Arrows do not naturally grow in nature. Whether they are wooden or metal or plastic they must be crafted until they become smooth and purposeful. This requires time and diligence, and tools, etc…
We can direct our children’s path by disciplining them. Discipline them often means you have to bend them in ways they don’t want to be bent. Discipline involves doing things that are difficult and unpleasant. It is not discipline to let your child do what “he” wants to do.
We live in such a rich blessed country and we are so rich that it is difficult to say “no” to our children when they want things. We can afford to say “yes,” but let me encourage you to learn to say “no.” Sometimes you have to make it hard on your children by not giving them what they want. It will make them strong. Don’t be easy on them.
Many of you saw the movie the 300 Spartans. Their young boys did not become the great warriors by being pampered. If you want your children to be strong, let them suffer a little.
Once I was growing plants in my house. I started them from seeds and kept them inside with a grow light, once they grew to about a foot I put them outside. The first week it rained and was windy and all the plants died. They were just too weak to handle the weather. They had been protected inside too long.
Give them Godly counsel This means you have to be familiar with God’s word to do this.
Teach them to pray and hear from God
“A child is not likely to find a father in God unless he finds something of God in his father.” Model for them
How do we know the Lord is building and maintaining?
How do you know when the Lord builds a house or maintains a city? How do your recognize a “CV Perry Home, a MI Home, Rylan Home, Donely Home or a Di Yanni Home?” They each have certain traits that are recognizable. Some may be a signature design, some may be the price, some may be the quality.
There are two certain traits that are listed here to let us know when God is building the city.
Peace, No worry verse 2
Your family will be blessed. If your family is not being blessed it is right to take a look at what you are doing and see what needs to change, ask for help, read books, search the scriptures, etc.
If the Lord is building the business, then no worry, no neglect. If the Lord is raising you up at work, then no worry and no neglect of your family. If you doing it on your own strength, then there will be worry and neglect of family.
