Two key reports came out last week that you need to be aware of and realize that the “cycle” of trends (whether fashion or politics) continues to flow from Western Europe to North America (via Canada, the “coasts” and then through the heartland eventually).  

First of all, the frightening report of a 12 year old girl who took her father to court because he grounded her from a school field trip because she abused her use of the internet.  You can read it HERE.  It seems fairly unprecedented for such a case to be heard and ruled on.  Of course, this is more than an affront to the autonomy of parents to decide for themselves.  It is, in anything, another occasion where the wise things of this world are foolishness to God and God will one day confound the wisdom of this world with the foolishness of the gospel:

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. – 1 Corinthians 1:20-25

Another dangerous report has come out of the London Times HERE.  Various types of testing have been used for years on the human fetus to ascertain any problems and deformities.  In recent years, it has been proven that many have performed abortions on these babies with potential defects.  In this report, the ease of testing (more definitively) for Down’s syndrome will fearfully lead to more abortions.  It will, most likely, be the case.  

We already live in a society that essentially hates the family.  In the best segments of our society are still families who manage the size of their households solely based on their finances (I’m not talking about extreme situations or finances be one of several prayer-filled considerations).  Let’s be honest, in the mainstream of middle to upper-middle-class America it seems that the decision to have one child, perhaps two, is based on the lifestyle the parents wish to maintain rather than truly a full-quiver for the purpose of populating the planet with God-glorifying little ones.  Now, I’m in-between on this subject.  I do not think that having dozens of kids alone equates to godliness, and there is some biblical merit to managing even the number in your household, but that is given with much biblical restraint.  My main point here is simply that prayer and scripture should be sought on every side of the decision to have children.  Most families (even church ones) do not pray and fast thoroughly over their children and the number of children they’ll have.  They just see the number of rooms in their house, seats in the SUVs, money in savings and then decide.   

Look, it’s ultimately between you and God, no doubt.  But remember to include God in that equation.  I’m no conscience for anyone, but we already live in a society that promotes abortion as a viable option for the inconvenience of having to raise a child with Down’s syndrome.  God help us when we can’t see His sovereign and gracious hand in the gift of children, regardless of their level of health.

A couple of additional thoughts:  

1) The birthrate in America is at an all-time low.  Consider that the French have one of the lowest birthrates in the world and that Muslims (among whom millions live in France) have one of the highest.  Where do you think that country will be in 20 years?

2) Essentially, this is a spiritual issue, but God has also been gracious to us socially.  Where would our country be had those who went through the Great Depression had the same thoughts of managing their number of children as we do?  One generation cares for the next.  The very generation that finds it inconvenient to have too many children now will only face an end of life that is inevitably very lonely.