Are Children Still a Blessing if You Can't Afford Them?

We were discussing having children in the chat room and how it is a gift and a blessing, yet few today think of children in this way. There always comes up the argument of not being able to afford them, even though we live in the wealthiest nation that has ever existed and the God who knows each star by name, hung the sun and the moon, and holds all things together by His Word STILL sits on His throne. He tells us children are a gift and a blessing and the man is blessed who has a quiver full. Don't believe The Myth of Needing Two Incomes and needing a lot of money to have and raise children! One of the women in the chat room responded with this amazing comment ~

There is no guarantee whatsoever when a man and woman get married and have children that they will NEVER need financial assistance from the church or from other sources. Of course, a husband and father should be prudent and plan savings for hard times, but if a father finds himself leaning upon the church for help because of wrongful termination of employment or sudden medical crisis in the family, or other types of major life events, this is no reason to say, "Oh my word! Get the wife on the pill! God can't possibly handle this!"

The church was originally designed to help the poor. Today, we have the government helping both the poor who have arrived there through no fault of their own, and those who are lazy and do not wish to work and provide for themselves, their family and their children. All of this is beside the point: the point is that children are ALWAYS a blessing! ALWAYS! Born to a married couple with ample resources? A blessing. Born to a single mother? Still a blessing. {Voddie Baucham and Ben Carson were both raised by poor, single mothers!} Born to a poor couple with a disabled father? A blessing. Unfortunately in America, the people who CAN "afford children" {as they say in the liberal media - not my stance} are on birth control, and the people who rely on others {relatives, church, welfare} to support their children are not. Therefore, family size is growing in certain socio-economic sectors and demographics {Latin culture, poor single mothers, etc.} and dwindling in the upper middle class.

When the government supports the family, the father is emasculated. He is not lifted up and encourage by godly men and held accountable for his family and getting them back to dependence upon God and his earnings. Instead, he is replaced by a very convenient source of money without any accountability. Part of a man's "curse" is to work by the sweat of his brow for his food. In other words, to be a provider for his wife and children. When he cannot or will not do this well enough, and the government steps in, they may prevent him from becoming the man that God has called him to be by enabling him to be lazy, unaccountable and immature. They may unknowingly stifle his growth and maturity in the Lord. We cannot escape our God-given responsibilities by attempting to choose a more comfortable way. A man will not be happy mooching off the government.

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or 
‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 
For the Gentiles seek after all these things, 
and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
Matthew 6:31, 32