Why SHOULD People Have Children? The Answer Might Surprise You!

“Why do people have children? And, why should people have children?” These are two similar questions with, many times, completely different answers.  Honestly, before children, I didn’t think too much about either of these questions, but now God is using them to fuel my purpose and focus in parenting. 

Let’s start with the first question.  Why do people have children?  Most people just go into parenting with no real thought or purpose.  That is what you do when you get married, right?   It is the next practical step in life after marriage.  Or, surprise!  You might not be married, but you become pregnant without an idea of what to do next. Maybe you want companionship or purpose in life, but other than that, nothing.  No real focus or guide- just drifting through each year, watching in awe of how big or how smart your children becomes.  You look at them­­­­ and realize time is flying by a lot quicker than you thought possible.   Obviously, more love and joy come from parenting than expected; along with heartache and frustrations.  But overall, the only real purpose many people have in parenting is to teach them to be “good people” and to get them through high school, maybe college, and into the real world.   

WHY SHOULD people have children?  The answer is very simple, to bring glory to God.  “Produce” God seekers.  Every breath of our lives should direct our children to Christ, even- and most importantly, in our failures.  When we fail, we need to fess up and show our children that we need a Savior.  Be humble before the Lord and show them that we can’t do it without Jesus. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  Deuteronomy 6:5-9

We are called to IMPRESS God’s commandments on our children, not force or shove it down their throats.  When you have duplex checks and you firmly press down with your pen, the carbon paper impresses perfectly formed letters of what you originally wrote on the paper underneath.  When you live rightly before the LORD, sing out His praises, give Him glory- your children are watching.  When you mess up and genuinely ask the Heavenly Father for forgiveness, your children are watching.  Impress on them Jesus’ love with each stroke of your life. 

We all need to take this parenting thing more seriously.  The “WHY SHOULD people have children” question should redirect parenting.  It redirects the focus and glory off of you or your family and puts it on Jesus- who is WORTHY and ABLE to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine!  They do grow up quickly, and we only have them for a short time.  Point them to Jesus, help them love the LORD, and guess what?  Lord willing, they will go out into the real world, and they will most likely go to college, get a job, and have a family of their own.  What you impress on your children is most likely what they will impress on future generations.  Keep Jesus the focus, and your impression on their lives will be much deeper than you ever thought possible.   PRAISE THE LORD!