A lot of people have heard of the expression "Hallowed be Thy name", and may have wondered what God does to silence his detractors who are opposed to Him and therefore clearly not "hallowing" his name.
This article will explore the important question of what God uses to battle his enemies.
The thoughts set out in this article review another aspect of my research in wisdom from the Bible and is part of our home education program.
We'll start with Psalm 8.
We'll ask the question, "Whom will God use to silence those who damage His name?" Psalm 8 verse 2 states "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
" Its true that coming into close contact with young children changes a person's perspectives on life.
However it may appear to some that there is no logical reason for God to claim that babes and sucklings would help defend his reputation against His enemies, his avengers and detractors.
When I think about how young children change a person's perspective on life I think of a time when I was having lunch with two business men.
They were both in their late 50s or early 60s and they were both very successful business men.
One turned to the other and with a big grin that was caused by looking at his grand baby and he said, "Having grand children really changes things doesn't it? Perhaps God can use family situations like this to change a hard heart into one that thanks God for creating grand children too? That would be an example of hallowing God's name.
Another aspect of how God uses babes and sucklings to battle his detractors could be seen in the fact that Jesus Christ came into the world as a baby.
That is all ancient history, and one could be excused for saying that this remarkable fact is not going to help God to keep his name hallowed today.
In my opinion an example of how children affect people's perspective is seen in this following incident cited in our history resource about Jonathan Goforth.
Jonathan Goforth had been treated badly by the locals in China and was fleeing from persecution, he approached a village for some refuge.
The village people looked at him as a foreigner and refused to accept him and those traveling with him.
They were not about to show mercy to one representing God' name.
At the time of the Boxer Rebellion Christians were thought to drink the blood of children, and the locals were quite ignorant of the facts.
But when the local village men saw how badly the missionaries had been treated, and that Mrs Goforth and children were with him they allowed them to have shelter.
God's name and his followers were respected and held in higher esteem, partly because they had children with them.
Often times I have been commended for the behaviour of my children in public.
I believe that many people have a dim view of a Christian family until they meet one with children who can behave in public.
Parents cannot enjoy children that are well behaved in public unless they demonstrate God's love to the children at home by training them in what is acceptable behaviour.
One way of doing this is by spending time with them and acting out appropriate behaviour for certain situations.
This can done during home education times with father and mother as well.
The Bible clearly shows us that God is three persons, the head person is God the Father.
Therefore there is a parallel relationship between God the Father and his children who are all Christians, and the earthly father and his children.
If we have children that respect authority and their father or grandfathers one can see that they are providing a model of respect for God the Father.
This parallel relationship also provides weight to God's claim that he uses children to "hallow" his name, that the enemies and detractors may have no reason to laugh at God.
This last point is seen nowhere clearer than where a person who is professing to be a Christian, or a Christian leader has children that are clearly not demonstrating respect for their parents or those in authority.
That is a bad advertisement for God, and gives occasion for his enemies to laugh at Him.
Laughing at God is opposite to hallowing His name.