babies

Behold, children are a gift of 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.
How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127:3-5 (NASB)

The above passage is often used to explain why it is a Christian duty to procreate, and procreate often. As a recently married woman, I am steeling myself for the inevitable questions about when and how Nathan and I are going to reproduce ourselves.

Now, I like kids. I've had to teach a lot of little kids and big kids in dance and at Sunday School, and most kids are cool once you get to know them (some are spoiled terrors, but that's another post on parenting issues). I see no problem with people having biological children.
However, I know several females whose life goal is essentially to have lots and lots of kids, based largely on the fact that they think it's Biblical.

I regret for once the necessary brevity of blogging, as I could easily start a twenty page, cross-referenced paper on why I feel the above is not true, but I'll settle for a few pertinent examples.

In looking at Psalm 127, one sees it is labeled "A Song of Ascents, of Solomon." It was a song of praise, probably sung in a public parade, for David's favorite son. What father watching a favored son growing up wouldn't feel the more the merrier, especially a king in a patriarchal society? From a more pragmatic viewpoint, a king with strong princes would be in a stronger tactical position against enemies. This is even referenced as "when they speak with their enemies at the gate" - litigation used to be performed at city gates, and the more sons a man had, the more powerful he appeared. I don't see how this is relevant enough to today's society to base one's entire lifestyle around it.

Even more striking than this is all the references to adoption.
In Romans 9:25-26, "As He says also in Hosea, "I will call those who were not my people, 'My people,' And her who was not beloved, 'Beloved.'" "And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called the sons of the Living God."
Ephesians 1:4-5 - "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will"

The above is not to say that people shouldn't have children, especially if it is their dream to do so. But I am saying that those people should take a step back and take a hard look at that dream to see if is originating from a God given purpose or from a possibly misguided sense of religiosity.

First of all, why is it so important that you have children? Do you really have something important to pass on, or do you want to play at being a parent for a while? Secondly, if you do honestly feel you are supposed to be a parent, does it have to be biological? I've had people tell me when they find out that I am adopted that they couldn't possibly have loved an adopted child as much as a biological one. Why? Being a parent is not a walk in the park - it doesn't take having kids to realize that. So parenting, biologically or via adoption is a choice that you as a future parent make. You make a choice to love that child whether or not he or she grows up to be a doctor or a football player or a slacker. You make a choice to try and guide that child to the best of your abilities, to fulfill your responsibility as a parent even in the times that you don't like the child (e.g. adolescence).
And if you do decide to have children and are open to the idea of adoption, there are lots of kids out there that need parents.