Nurturing the gift that children are

By Anne Anjao-Eboi

A quiver full of arrows, that's how God describes children.

He says the more children we have, the better. Children are a gift from God. He loves them and so do most of us. They are such lovely angels. Hence, if you are a mother or father, let’s celebrate our children today. Let’s offer thanks to God for this priceless gift.

Thank God that the fruit of the womb is a reward. Remember there are those who are barren. There are those who labouriously look for ways to conceive, some in vain, others with some measure of success.

Children keep us company, whatever stage of their lives they are in. Once you get used to having the little ones running about the house, it becomes strange when you ship them off to aunt Anna’s for the weekend. The house sounds hollow and empty. How about when they are adults? The sharing is so fulfilling.

Children are such great helps around the house if properly trained. I recall when my daughter would learn a skill. She would do it zealously till she found out that chores aren’t exactly interesting.

Which parent wouldn’t want to walk his or her daughter down the aisle or stand by his/her son on his wedding day? Indeed children bring honour to a family.

I may be too much of a conservative, but I would be depressed if a cat or a dog, that I have pampered and equated to a human being, inherited my wealth. My children should and must inherit my wealth.

It is, therefore, disconcerting when we hear that some children are not treated well. Parents are the most important people in their lives. We are the ones they encounter first in this world.

God advises men not to bring exasperation to their children, not to cause them anxiety. Instead, men should bring the children up in the fear of the Lord. In return when these children are grown, they will not depart from the way of the Lord.

Spare not the rod either. Children must grow up into responsible citizens. God will hold you accountable for your children’s lives.

We must pray for them daily, apart from just taking care of their physical needs. This is where most men miss it.

Heading to the bar after work instead of home to help with homework is one big mistake men make. Inevitably, a rift develops between them and their children. The children will be drawn closer to the mother because she is available. With the onset of puberty, this rift becomes evident, sometimes with disastrous consequences.

I must commend the many single parents who have had to endure all odds to bring up godly, upright children.

Let us, therefore, partner with the author and finisher of life to raise responsible citizens.