President Woodrow Wilson, who at one time was president of Princeton University, once said this to a group of parents: "I get many letters from parents about your children. You want to know why we people up here in Princeton cannot make more of them and do more for them. Let me tell you the reason we cannot. It may shock you just a little, but I am not trying to be rude. The reason is that they are your sons, reared in your home, blood of your blood, bone of your bone. They have absorbed the ideals of your homes. You have formed and fashioned them. They are your sons. In these malleable, moldable years of their lives, you have forever left your imprint upon them."

The Bible tells us that raising children is a parents duty before God. So, this God-given responsibility can not be given away to a school, teacher, or minister. This is a ministry that is granted by God to every parent. And it is to God that one day all will give an account.

Sadly, many parents wait until it is too late to begin training their children in the ways of God and some even choose to remain absent throughout the whole process by keeping themselves occupied "feeding their family." But there is hope! These verses inform us with three truths that must be present while we are raising our children.

Solomon illustrates the principles of childrearing with the picture of an archer and his arrows. He explains this by saying that parents are the archers and children are our arrows.

(Psalm 127:1-5)

1 Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain. 2 In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food— yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves. 3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD, children, a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth. 5 Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them. Such men will never be put to shame when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.

First, arrows (children) must be shaped

In the days of the world during the writing of this psalm, there were no factories for making arrows. They were made from scratch from a piece of wood. To be effective and put to good use the arrow must be straight. Since no arrow starts out stright, the craftsman began whittling and shaping a branch until it was a well-fashioned arrow. This is the same way it is with sons and daughters. They must be trained at an early age to pursue righteousness. Solomon also wrote in (Proverbs 22:6) "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." This obviously involves teaching the Bible to your children. It means correcting them when they stray morally. It involves being firm with discipline; not abusing the child but helping them to understand there are consequences to their actions. Finally, parents need to shape their children with loving affirmation.

Second, arrows (children) must be aimed

Once an arrow is shaped it must be carefully aimed at the target. Someone once said, "aim at nothing and you will hit it every time." Sons and daughters must be directed at the right target while they are still in their parents hands. This may seem strange to you, but once they are trained they must be aimed at God's enemies. But if they are going to be a direct hit on the target they must be armed with the Gospel of Christ. This again involves teaching and instructing them in God's Word. But it involves more than instruction from God's Word, the children must see it modeled in the life of their parents.

Third, arrows (children) must be released

This is the scary part. There comes a day when the warrior needs to release the arrow. There is no way an arrow can be successful and victorious until it is released. It can never defeat the enemy while it is still in the archers hand. Arrows must be shot from the bow.