How Many is too Many?

I would just like to direct your attention to the blessed event that took place sometime last week in California that may shake the foundations of some of you.


Most of the country knows by now about the octuplets that were born and of the questions and even controversy arising from that event. From what I gather as what I heard reported, the woman only intended to have one child according to her father; and her mother said that all her children (she has six others)were conceived in-vitro. So what kind of dilemma can be accorded here? Is the main question or at least one of the main questions arising from this event: How many children is too many? Should there be any controversy?



As that age-old question is addressed, certainly another subject which will be brought up is does she or anyone else who has too many (again, how many would be "too many") children have the financial means by which to care for their brood. According to reports, she's divorced with apparently no one else to help her except her parents; and she may not even have that anymore as her mother was quoted as saying that when those other eight babies finally come home, she is going to leave.


So if the financial means is not there or runs out, who will eventually assume the cost? Well, the taxpayer eventually will; and in this case, it is the California taxpayer. It is well known by now that California is broke (when haven't they been?) and will most likely be issuing IOUs for tax refunds.


Of course, the wails of the birth-control or the world-is-overpopulated crowd will continue to resonate throughout the land. But, of course, the other side (if one wants to put it that way) has their say. "This Earth is not overcrowded. Still plenty of room to accomodate more of the human population," is their usual response. I certainly ascribe to the majority of the views of those that do favor life. Definitely do not believe the Earth is too crowded; and birth control--aka abortion in most cases--for sure, is not any kind of solution.



It is only the solution of a deluded mind; and we can certainly debate and try to navigate all the live-long day through the morass of statements or theories that the over-populated-crowd con-sists of a certain type of people who only want their type to exist and the rest can either be en-
slaved or eliminated (I believe the term "useless eaters" has been used in that capacity to justify that action).


No doubt, many opinions have been propagated about how many children is too many. Not withstanding, one juncture that is reached or come upon is the religious notion (as some may call it) that children are an heritage of the Lord according to Psalm 127:3. In fact, here are the three verses that speak of the value of children:



3. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit
of the womb is his reward.
4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are
children of the youth.
5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they
shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the
enemies at the gate. King James Version



Consider that. We can continue to moralize or ponder this subject until the end of the age; but the fact remains, if you ascribe to the greatest source of all (which I do at least in this case), children are the ultimate of God's gifts. They are His reward according to Him. Nowhere in those verses or any other place which I have read in His word does it even imply that one can have too many children. In fact, it states you are happy if your quiver is full of them.


Now, of course, those verses must be taken in their proper context with the precept that God's reward of the womb is at its greatest potential in the form of a stable family... in fact, a family that "feareth the Lord" -Psalm 128:1. Certainly, children shouldn't arrive in haphazard situation or atmoshere. There must be a form and order. Again, in this situation, the mother is divorced and only her parents to help her, which is fine except they live in a three-bedroom home. How are seventeen people going to live like that? I've heard charges of child abuse from some such as Bill O'Reilly. Are charges such as that legitimate? Another charge brought out is that she only had the children in order to cash in on a possible book or movie.


So what's the solution? Forced sterilaztion? I believe some judges have already tried ordering that. What tragedy may come of this if any? Are we going to hold our collective breaths and hope this woman does not have an Andrea Yates moment? Could be scary. Yes, the debate seems endless; but for now, let's continue to value God's reward.