As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Psalm 127:4
Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.
Psalm 128:3
The Bible is full of symbolism and illustrations. I love to research and study some of these things to really grasp what the Lord is teaching in these verses. Here are some fun facts about arrows and olive plants that can teach us about our children:
Arrows:
- It does not require a great amount of skill to make arrows. In historic times arrows were fashioned from an arrowhead attached to a shaft of some sort. If you knew how to use a rock to beat against another object you could make an arrowhead. It does not require great skill to raise great children. If you have the rock of salvation, you can lead your children to a saving knowledge of Christ. If you have the Bible, you have all you need to be a great and wise parent.
- Making an arrowhead requires sustained effort. Continuously chipping and flaking away at a rock, or other substance, while using soft pressure so as not to break it eventually results in an effective arrowhead. Likewise, raising children to be effective arrows for Christ requires consistency. Continuously chipping away at the fleshly will of the child to get them to submit to God‘s will for their life is our goal. This does require a soft-hearted approach. If we are too rough we will break the spirit of the child, which is never our desire as parents.
- You want your arrow to go straight when you shoot it, therefore it needs to have a straight shaft. The shaft is most important when it comes to arrow accuracy and impact. Make sure in raising your children for God that you stick as close to the Bible as possible. Any chance for sin and distractions can warp your arrows.
Olive Plants:
- Olive plants grow best near a water source. The Bible many times in scripture is referred to as living water. Children will flourish when raised around the Bible, and in a Bible preaching church.
- The worst enemy of an olive plant is the olive fruit fly, which lays its eggs in the olive fruit before it matures and ripens. It then rots and becomes unprofitable when it is mature. Isn’t this just like Satan? He wants to lay eggs/seeds of doubt and disobedience in the hearts of our children while they are young, so when they mature they will be unprofitable for the cause of Christ.
- Olive plants flourish on craggy slopes, and in sunny places without shade. Likewise, the best growth in a Christian’s life often occurs in the rocky places of our lives. We also do best when we bask in the light of our savior. Don’t try to shelter your children from EVERYTHING in life. Allow them to be part of praying for the challenging and trying times in your family’s lives. Let them see God work in the rocky times. Be sure to point out the blessings from God along the way. Let them listen to stories from others in your Church about how God blessed them in the valleys, too.
