Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.  Psalm 127:3

She blinked unseeing at the test strip in her hand. Positive. No doubt about it. Time stood still as she tried to get her mind around it. Please not now, when so much is happening. How would she tell him? In answer, the door opened and in he walked. He took one look at the strip in her hand and another at her face and held out his arms. “It’s OK, hon,” he murmured into her hair. “We’ll make it work. Children are a gift. God is being good to us.” She stiffened, but he held her tight. “No, He is. Who knows what His plans are for this little one? We could be having the next Abe Lincoln or Billy Graham. We love each other and we love the Lord. He’s giving us this child, so we’ll love it too. He or she will always know they were a reward from God.”

Most parents have lifted a skeptical brow at this verse a time or two. A reward? A gift? Doesn’t feel like it when the toddler is having a meltdown in Walmart or the teenager just stormed out of the house. Again. But God wants us to value our children the way He does. He created them in His image to reflect His glory in unique ways. His gift comes with a sacred responsibility to live as examples and direct those children toward Him. We please the Lord when we welcome the children He has gifted us with, even when it’s costly to do so. But we honor Him most when we present those gifts back to Him as well-trained disciples.

Final Thought:

Gifts from God sometimes come packaged as challenges. How are you responding to God’s gifts?

Prayer:

Father, I admit there are things in my life that don’t look like gifts from you. I’ve argued, balked, and even tried to get out of the responsibility. Please forgive me. Grow me as I learn to be a good caretaker of your gifts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.