Despite the popular rhetoric, parenting is nothing if not a joy, and the Bible agrees.

Book Author and Date:

Psalm 127 is attributed to Solomon, the great and wise King of Israel, the last king of the united kingdom. Solomon reigned from 971 – 931 B.C. and was initially very faithful to the Lord.

Tags:

Fatherhood.

Context:

Solomon masterminded and oversaw the building of the great temple using his God-given wisdom and raised Israel to unmatched prosperity during his time. Psalm 127 extols God’s sovereignty in all things such as buildings and work. Then attributes children to the Lord as a blessing to a father.

A while back John Piper wrote an article about how mother’s are called to suffer. He used John 16:21 as an example for some reason:

“Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.”

Although it explains clearly that once a baby has been born, the pain is all replaced by joy, which was certainly my wife’s, and my experience.

He goes on to say that ‘to be a mother is a call to suffer’. What?

Yeah, can’t wait to tell that to little Timmy.

I get what he’s trying to say, but it’s still pretty crap.

I’m sorry but being a parent is not tantamount to suffering, and it’s no wonder that people are doing it less, and later in life when they’re raised to believe that parenting is ‘a momentous challenge’.

This is such a backhanded compliment. It also will not fill your children with confidence if you’re living with the belief that they are a constant burden to your otherwise peaches and cream existence. Even if you do not song and dance about it, they will feel it oozing out of your body language.

The above Psalm explains quite simply that children are a blessing (I think John 16:21 clearly does too), and as a Dad of two, I can only agree wholeheartedly.

Parenthood is a (huge) joy, and I’m getting a little tired of hearing the same burnt-out sob story from every whiny, indolent self absorbed child-parent crying over their babies spilt milk.

Spare me the theatrics.

No it’s not perfect all the time, and it’s more difficult for some than others. I get that.

Especially if your child, god-forbid, has some actual health complications. Ironically, parents of children with serious health complications are often the most grateful! Consider that every parent of a child with Downs syndrome, is a parent that didn’t abort that child.

No, I’m sorry but, parenthood is not a ‘momentous challenge’, and it’s not ‘suffrage’.

Parenthood is, actually, the best thing ever.

References

All Campfire Scripture passages are taken from the New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise stated.

John MacArthur, 2006, The MacArthur Study Bible,  New American Standard Bible (1995 edition).