We are so proud of our son. My wife and I are proud of who he is, how he is living his life, and where he is going in life. That pride is simply the crescendo in a symphony of years of building into our son the values we hold so dear. We are not done building, but much has been done. We are so blessed and humbled that our son has “turned out” the way he has. It is not an accident, nor was he left to his own choices and devices. We have guided him over the years of his life. I write this to encourage other parents in their desire to raise their kids to “do the right thing.” Our son is far from perfect and I often wonder, Is this the kid we raised?” More than behavior, our aim has and will continue to be teaching our son to love God and others through the lens of a biblical worldview.

Our aim is not for him to win trophies, though he has. (He’s on the archery team at school.) Our aim is not for him to make good grades, though he has. Our aim is not for him to be well mannered, though he is. Our aim is the present and the future impact he will have on the people God brings into his path.

An appropriate lesson comes from the bow and arrow, taken from a post by Family Life here. It mentions the parts of the arrow as a model for child rearing, and it’s appropriate. The shaft of the arrow, should be straight to provide proper function for the other parts of the arrow. It relates to identity. A child’s identity should be founded on his value in Christ as an image-bearer of God and what Christ has done to redeem him from sin. An unhealthy, selfish focus can be destructive to one’s path and impact. In our age of consumerism and materialism, an utter dependence on God is the remedy. The feathers, or fletching, help guide the arrow straight and represent character development. The ultimate standard is God’s revelation to us found in his Word. Responding to authority and struggle best with character can only come from discernment of right and wrong. The Bible is the lens from which we respond to struggle and pain. The arrow has a nock, from which it is pulled back. The arrow derives it’s power from being connected to God and others. Relationships matter. I’ve always said, rules without relationship equal rebellion, and rules without reinforcement equal chaos. We teach our children to interact with others. Our children learn to love and be loved through seeing us do the same. The arrow also has a point, just like the child’s life. The points and purposes of our children are many, but the greatest is what they leave behind. Legacy begins at birth, in the hands of the parents.  What impact will they have? What impact are they having.

A case in point. A teacher begins a discussion about different faiths in history class, and one of the students asks a question about God and the existence of evil. Our son raises his hand, gently gives several points describing the infinite nature of God, our brokenness, and God’s purpose in it all. Later, several students who claimed to be either agnostic or atheist came up to our son after class and were really encouraged and stirred by his words. That is what an arrow does. It creates impact. Be mindful of this verse in Psalm 127:4, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, are the children of one’s youth.” Let’s cultivate our kids to be arrows that fly long and straight, with great impact.