God may, in divine wisdom, withhold children. If He does, this brings special exercise and reliance on Himself. In general, the family, in the Scriptures, includes children. The Apostle Paul was inspired to write, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children.” 1 Timothy 5:14. This scripture alone makes it clear that the Christian couple should plan to have children. There will have to be a family in order for the young women to “love their children.” Titus 2:44That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (Titus 2:4). The failure to be obedient to these scriptures will rob the home of the pure joy that children can bring. Also missing will be the exercises and spiritual lessons that accompany each individual child and which can draw the parents closer to each other and to the Lord. In addition, the delight and pleasure that grandchildren bring cannot be possible if the couple chooses to remain childless.
The consequences of the selfish refusal to accept the responsibility of children will be felt among Christians in other ways than simply in the absence of children from the daily routine of the couple. The Scriptures designate two institutions as those with obligation to care for the aged. One of these is the family (1 Timothy 5:4) and the other is the assembly (1 Timothy 5:9-11). If a family does not exist, no help from one designated institution is available. The assembly, for its part, has the right to look for certain prerequisites. One of these, which the assembly is to consider with respect to its obligation for the care of a widow, is “if she have brought up children.” 1 Timothy 5:10. If the Lord leaves us here, there will be many childless, lonely, and needy old people who will have no family and may not qualify for assembly aid. This need, in part at least, is presently being assumed by the public through social welfare programs. As the number of childless families increases simultaneously with the aging of the post World War II baby-boom population, the age pyramid of North America will become top heavy. Economists are already warning governments of danger that such programs will bankrupt the public treasury. The failure to follow God’s order can only harvest personal deprivation and economic chaos for society.
In another sphere, the result of childless Christian couples will be to deprive the Church and local assembly of bishops and deacons. In order to qualify for these positions, a man must have had the experience of bringing up children in subjection and of ruling his house well (1 Timothy 3). Certainly if a couple has intentionally failed to have children, the husband would be unable to occupy the position of a bishop or deacon. These are offices to be desired; preparation for them must not be shirked or neglected.
Since there are to be children, the Christian wife, in addition to being the husband’s spiritual helper, is to be a mother. The story of Hannah provides instruction for wives who seek scriptural principles to guide them in this role. A careful reading of her history (1 Samuel 1 and 2) reveals several different aspects of Hannah’s care.
Hannah prayed a great deal! Her prayers consisted of petitions and praise. Whether in bitterness of soul (1 Samuel 1) or in times of rejoicing (1 Samuel 2), she turned to the Lord in prayer. Surely for a mother saddled with the responsibility of the daily care of children, there will be times of both. The sorrows and joys come into correct perspective when they are brought into the presence of the Lord.
The nursing and weaning of Samuel also played a significant part in Samuel’s early history, as did the clothing of Samuel. Setting aside for the moment the spiritual lessons to be drawn from these two considerations, it ought to be noted that in them we have two prominent responsibilities of any mother — the feeding and clothing of the children. The two are also forcefully conspicuous in the life of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.
In this age of so-called women’s liberation, the suggestion that the chief occupation of a wife should be directed toward child care and toward activities related to food and clothing invites scorn and ridicule. At the risk of doing so, it is our contention that such is the thrust of God’s Word. These are not limiting fields, nor are they less demanding or challenging than the other areas in which women work today. In spite of this, many women, including Christians, enter marriage with very little preparation for these home care and child care activities. Fortunately for some, they have had mothers who were in the home and who had time to teach their daughters. Such situations are not so common today as they used to be. In addition, the school systems put less emphasis on this type of training for girls. The young Christian lady, who is more and more pressed into training beyond the high school level and into public careers before marriage, should give some thought as to what areas of study might be pertinent and a help in her role as a mother and wife.
Turning now to the spiritual significance of the feeding and clothing of Samuel, the role of the wife is again observed. Hannah would not go up to the Lord until she had weaned the child. The weaning would seem to speak of cutting the child off from natural attitudes and habits which are characteristic of the old nature.
Surely it is the home where the foundation for this is laid. It is true that only new birth can accomplish this, but a responsibility falls on the mother to be in the home and daily to carry out the task of providing instruction from the Holy Scriptures which are able to make a child wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:14,15). No one is able to influence the young child like his mother. This is, undoubtedly, what Paul refers to in his reminder to Timothy of the unfeigned faith that was in him but which dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). This weaning of a child from the attitudes and habits of the unbelieving world takes place at a young age — perhaps long before the child confesses Christ as Saviour. The Word of God reminds us that when Hannah weaned Samuel, the child was young (1 Samuel 1:24) and that he did not yet know the Lord (1 Samuel 3:7). How important the first few years of the child’s life are and how needful for the constant influence of the Scriptures to be brought to bear on the child as he develops in these tender years. Baby-sitters and day care centers are not likely to do this. Only a mother who is regularly in the home is in a position to take over this responsibility and privilege.
After Samuel was weaned, we read that his mother made him a little coat and brought it to him from year to year. Perhaps on the spiritual level, this might teach the mother to be constantly aware of spiritual growth in her children. How often mothers are concerned when physical development does not seem to be progressing as it ought. Surely the spiritual growth of the children demands the attention that only a mother will note and can give. In 1 Corinthians 13:11, we read, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” This would be a gradual development, and the different stages of the development in a child’s spiritual growth surely require recognition and attention that only an observant mother can give. For example, the child at a certain young age may be able to sit only a short time to listen to the Word of God or to memorize it, but as it grows both physically and spiritually, such instruction can take on more time and depth. The husband is, perhaps, not so likely to note these things as the mother who has that keen eye and tender heart. Perhaps more examples could be used, but it seems sufficient to say that the mother who seeks the Lord’s blessing will be looking for growth in her children — both physical and spiritual, and that when growth is noted, there will be new instruction to sustain it — little coats from year to year!
The Christian wife has been viewed as the husband’s spiritual helper and as the mother of children. In this final section she is considered, not so much in a specific role, but from the viewpoint of certain things that should characterize the wife, according to the Scriptures.