Children Are Like Arrows (July 22, 2009)

In Psalms 127:4-5 the Bible says, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” This is a very interesting analogy. Think carefully about that verse and consider the following:

The scene is a battlefield. We are all in a spiritual war – it is the reason we are put here on earth. You may not recognize it, but Satan certainly does. The war is raging all around you and your family is the smallest battle formation that the Lord has created. If you’re not actively fighting the battle, then what are you doing here?

If you are a parent, then you are described as a warrior (an archer). In olden times, the archer made his own arrows. He would not trust such an important activity to anyone else, his very life depended on the quality of those arrows – how fast and straight they flew, how strong they were. Consequently, the arrow was only as good as the archer who made it. It takes a godly parent to make (with God’s help) a godly child. The child is the arrow! As parents, we must be rooted firmly in studying and applying God’s truth with consistency, humility, and a sense of total dependence upon God for strength and wisdom through daily prayer, if we expect to make great arrows.

The weapon is an arrow. Close your eyes and think about an arrow. Imagine what one looks like. Think about the nature and purpose of an arrow. God has given us many weapons such as the sword of truth and the shield of faith. But the only weapon God has given us that goes beyond us is our children. They are “messengers (or warriors) that visit a time we cannot go to ourselves.” How well will they fly through life? How well will they be trained to craft their own arrows someday? It is our responsibility, not anyone else’s, to insure that they are prepared.

Think again about the arrow. Notice the strength and quality of the shaft. This shaft represents the character values in their life. These values and character qualities ought to be based upon Scriptural values and godly character traits. The knowledge and wisdom gained through the study and application of God’s Word helps to solidify their spiritual foundation and form their value system and character traits. Many of their values will be learned by watching us as parents, and learning to model our values and character.

Consider the importance of the feathers. What is the job of the feathers? The feathers are there to guide the arrow. There are 3 feathers on every arrow. The feathers represent the relationships in your life that will help to guide them through their life. The first feather they develop is their relationship to their parents. This relationship will help to guide them their entire life. Even after we grow old and die, our children will still be guided by the relationship they had with us. The second feather represents their relationship with their friends. Their relationships with friends, both good and bad, guide them and influence their path through life. It is therefore important for them to build only good relationships with godly friends. Now consider the final feather. The final feather represents their relationship with God. Relationships with friends will come and go, but their relationship with God is eternal. This is the most important feather on this arrow. The goal of parents is to help the child become less dependent on us and friends and more dependent upon God for guidance.

The arrowhead represents a child’s developing focus on their God-ordained mission in life. Parents must help their children to understand this and to develop a determination to seek to discover God’s plan for their life. Parent must help them to discover their God-given skills and abilities to accomplish His will. Our children must grow to understand that God’s plan and God’s will are far more important than their own plan and their own will. In doing this, we help them to realize that no matter what happens in life, God’s will is more important than their own and that their will (and plans) must be yielded to God’s. This will enable the child, the arrow, to “penetrate” deeply into the target and not to fall out.

The importance of the bow. What is the job of the bow? The bow is the instrument used to transfer power from the archer to the arrow. This represents the transfer of faith from a parent to a child. But the strength with which the parent can pull the bowstring (that is to say the strength of the power of the Holy Spirit in our own life) will impact the power with which our kids, the arrows, will take off on a life of their own.

The secret of the release. Archers say that no matter how well the bow and arrow are crafted, no matter how much they practice, no matter how good a shot they become, any single shot can be totally ruined by a poor release. The releasing of our children into the world is a very important process. Too many good parenting efforts have been ruined by careless releases. The release is a careful process over time. Concepts such as increasing responsibilities and accountability over time, as well as “passage ceremonies”, are very helpful in successfully releasing your arrow. But no matter how well the bow and arrow are crafted, no matter how careful the release, the arrow will be influenced by “outside forces” after the release. The skillful archer knows about many of these forces. Some are deadly traps waiting for our kids, planted in front of their lives by Satan. Parents must prepare their children for Satan’s traps. In doing this, we are like the archer who compensates for the wind and the brush with his aim. But no matter how well we prepare them, ultimately they must still fly their own course under the power and control and guidance of the Lord.

Please comment on this article below, or email me directly at csonger@new-communitychurch.org