I love babies. These itty bitty versions of the adults who bore them can capture my heart with a single smile. Their little fingers and toes are delightful, and it's amazing to me that those little digits will one day grow to be the size of my own or even larger.
But far beyond the toothless smiles, the heart-warming gurgles, and the adorable gestures of an infant rests the explosive potential of a purpose-filled man or woman. These little human beings embody destinies great enough to change the course of an entire generation.
Of all the similes the psalmist could reference, he employed that of a warrior, and more specifically, an archer.
"Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth" (Ps. 127:4).
What does that mean? Why would a child be compared to a weapon?
An arrow is defined as "A shafted projectile that is shot with a bow." If you've ever watched movies depicting medieval times warfare, you'll notice that the archers are required to exercise keen precision and steadiness of hand as they release the arrow onto the target. Ill-released arrows will end up missing the intended target and cause unintended damage. Hence, it is the warrior's job to steer the arrow correctly.
Now if children are like arrows in the hands of an archer, then we who are parents and guardians are the warriors in reference...
