Bursting with Pride

Last weekend, my wife and I traveled to Oregon to attend my step-daughter’s college graduation.  To say that we are proud of her would be an understatement.  She even earned some sort of honor-cord that she wore with pride.  And just when it seems that we couldn’t be any more proud, she has been accepted into graduate school back in D.C. 

My observation is that she learned a great deal about perseverance from her mother.  My wife worked hard and never bought into the whole “entitlement mentality”. 

This is an important part of today’s blog because my step-daughter is deaf. 

For a person that is born with a disability to maintain work ethic and a single minded devotion to self-improvement – simply makes me proud.

“Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them”  Psalm 127:4-5

This passage is interesting because when it was written, “arrows” were the long range Patriot missiles.  They were long range weapons that would accurately “reach out and touch someone”.

So the promise here is that the greatest weapon you have against Satan and evil is your children. 

If you wage spiritual warfare using God’s might, Satan and evil will suffer some damage. 

BUT if you raise your children to love and serve God and your brood wage spiritual warfare using God’s might, Satan and evil will endure serious damage.

WHY?

Part of the answer I suspect is “math”.  The greater the number – the more God has to enable for battle. 

But I believe part of the answer is “generational”. 

You may declare war in THIS generation in which we live ~ but your children will be able to wage war against Satan and evil in the next generation ~ and their children in the next. 

So I am sending Elaine off to graduate school with the prayer that she will continue to serve God and be a force for right and good. 

“Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it”
Proverbs 22:6