It is very common among Christians to recognize children as a blessing; but there is another image of children that describes them as olive trees. I found this imagery described in the following quote.

“There is also great fruitfulness that comes with children. One Scripture that imparts a vision for parenting is Psalm 128:3. Children are called olive plants. Someday olive plants become olive trees, and olive trees were a sign of prosperity in the life of ancient Israel. Olive oil, olive wood, and the fruit of an olive tree were precious commodities. Olive oil, for example, was used for eating, illumination, and anointing. Historian Will Durant, in The Story of Civilization, says an olive plant “takes sixteen years to come to fruit, forty years to reach perfection.” Though the wait was long, no one doubted that the productivity that came out of future olive plants was worth the time and the effort spent in cultivating those plants. Children are olive plants. It may take years until we see the fruit, and even longer until they mature and reach maximum fruitfulness. Yet the time and effort spent cultivating our own olive plants is well worth it. Not to mention that the inheritance is for many generations to come (Ps. 78:5,6).”1

In the struggles of daily life, it’s easy to focus on the details of daily living and loose sight of the long-term vision and goals for our children. The days are evil (Eph 5:16) and soon turn into years of idleness if we are not careful to work diligently (Deut 6:7) to teach our children so that they grow up like a fruitful and productive olive tree for the glory of God.