Beloved, the original mandate of human beings from God was clear: to reproduce and multiply. Scripture tells us that God created humans in His own image, male and female, and blessed them, saying, “Have many children. Fill the earth and take control of it” (Genesis 1:28). Children are not only a fulfillment of this mandate but also a blessing, a reward from God.

The Role of Parents
Parents bear the responsibility of teaching and nurturing their children. It is important to remember that children are not born as husbands or wives—they must be taught and prepared for these roles.

In the past, parents took active roles in training their sons to be responsible husbands and their daughters to be virtuous wives. The family was the foundation for teaching the laws of marriage and the nature of relationships between men and women. However, today many parents have abandoned this duty. Sons and daughters grow up without proper guidance, entering marriage unprepared. The consequences are evident in marriages that feel more like prisons, filled with conflict, misunderstanding, and despair.

The Shift in Marriage Practices
Originally, parents were central to the blessing of marriages. In this generation, however, the responsibility has shifted to religious leaders and governments. Marriage, as practiced in many Christian communities, often follows traditions enacted by the Roman Catholic Church or legal systems, including customs like wedding rings and government-sanctioned ceremonies—elements that are not found in the Bible.

True biblical marriage was meant to be a covenant blessed by parents and rooted in the teachings of God’s Word. The Scriptures remind us of the divine view of children:

“Children are a gift from the LORD, a reward from a mother’s womb. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. The man who fills his quiver with sons will be very blessed. He will never be defeated when he opposes his enemy at the city gates” (Psalm 127:3-5).

The Call to Parents and Society
We must return to God’s original design. Parents must reclaim their role in teaching their children not just about marriage but also about faith, integrity, and the fear of the Lord. As the Scriptures urge:

• “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:7).
• “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
• “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).

Children are our heritage and a reflection of God’s blessing. Let us take up the divine responsibility of raising them according to His will, so they may grow into godly men and women, prepared for life, marriage, and eternity.

Conclusion
As we honor children as blessings from God, let us also renew our commitment to guiding them in truth, teaching them God’s ways, and preparing them for the roles they are destined to fulfill. This is the foundation of strong families, strong communities, and a generation that walks in the favor and purpose of the Lord.