Children Are a Blessing
Psalm 127:3 - 5, NKJV
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Psalm 128:3, CEV
Your wife will be as fruitful as a grapevine, and just as an olive tree is rich with olives, your home will be rich with healthy children. That is how the Lord will bless everyone who respects him.
Proverbs 17:6, TLB
An old man’s grandchildren are his crowning glory. A child’s glory is his father.
Received Through Prayer
Genesis 25:21, NIV
Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.
Genesis 30:17, 22 - 24, TEV
God answered Leah's prayer, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son . . .
Then God remembered Rachel; he answered her prayer and made it possible for her to have children. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son . . . so she named him Joseph.
1Samuel 1:20, NKJV
So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked for him from the Lord."
Luke 1:13, HBFV
But the angel said to him, "Fear not, Zacharias, because your supplication has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you, and you shall call his name John [the Baptist]."
Teaching and Correction
Proverbs 13:24, NCV
If you do not punish your children, you don’t love them, but if you love your children, you will correct them.
Proverbs 22:6, HBFV
Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 19:18, TLB
Discipline your son in his early years while there is hope. If you don’t you will ruin his life.
Proverbs 29:15, 17, TEV
Correction and discipline are good for children. If they have their own way, they will make their mothers ashamed of them . . .
Discipline your children and you can always be proud of them. They will never give you reason to be ashamed.
Acceptable Behavior
Leviticus 19:32, NKJV
You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.
Colossians 3:20, HCSB
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Ephesians 6:1 - 3, ESV
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land."
1Timothy 3:2, 4, NASB
An overseer, then, must be above reproach . . . He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity.
Symbolic
Matthew 18:2 - 3, 10, HBFV
And after calling a little child to Him, Jesus set him in their midst, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, there is no way that you shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.
"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven continually look upon the face of My Father, Who is in heaven."
Mark 9:36 - 37, HCSB
Then He [Jesus] took a child, had him stand among them [the disciples], and taking him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in My name welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent Me."
Mark 10:13 - 15, NKJV
Then they brought little children to Him [Jesus], that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
1Peter 2:1 - 2, NASB
Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation . . .
Grown Children Responsibilities
Mark 7:9 - 13, NKJV
He [Jesus] said to them [the Pharisees and Scribes], "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'
"But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" - ' (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down."
1Timothy 5:4, 8, HBFV
But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to fulfill their obligation to their own household, and to render recompense to their parents. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God . . .
But if anyone does not provide for his own needy relatives - and especially members of his household - he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.