The first time I saw a tire gauge I had no idea what it was. A pen missing the ink cartridge? Some kind of stirring apparatus? I could tell by the look on my dad’s face that I wasn’t even close. Once I understood what a tire gauge is and how to use one, I was thankful to have it. Understanding the purpose and function of that funny-looking piece of metal made all the difference in my appreciation for it.
God has purpose for our singleness, too. He considers it a valuable tool in his Kingdom and has given us instructions for how to use it . Paul highlights two of God’s intentions for singleness in 1 Corinthians 7:
But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:32-35 NASB)
First, the unmarried person is meant to be “concerned about the things of the Lord” (vs 32) in order to “promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord” (vs 35). The way Paul sees it, one of the premier advantages of singleness is the freedom to be heavily involved with the Lord’s affairs, the things going on in his house (the Church). That means our singleness is not intended merely for our pleasure. It is meant to contribute to the joy, progress, and strengthening of others.
This is one major difference between why our culture celebrates singleness and why Christians celebrate it. Magazines and TV shows, when they are not lamenting the lack of romantic love in a single woman’s life, portray the benefits in a purely selfish light. Singles can spend all their money and time on themselves. Singles can stay out late and nobody cares. Singles can pour all their energy into their jobs and pursue success without distraction. That is not what Paul had in mind, and it is not how Jesus lived his life as a single person.
At the same time, using our singleness as an opportunity to be devoted to the Lord’s work is not drudgery. One of the delightful discoveries I’ve made is that my desires for home and family can be fulfilled by directing them towards building up God’s house. Rather than lament the long wait for these gifts, the Lord has allowed me to exercise my desires for family and home now by getting involved in the affairs of Jesus’ household. His home is big and it’s always busy. He has many children, young and old, who need care. There is immense joy and satisfaction found in being "concerned about the things of the Lord.”
The second purpose Paul identifies for singleness is that it sanctifies us: “that she may be holy in both body and spirit” (vs 33). For me, the absence of a spouse has given God unique opportunities to demonstrate that he is my provider, my comforter, my leader, and my closest friend. Our singleness affords not only the extra time to spend pursuing God but also many opportunities to trust him. Elisabeth Elliot says that God will use the matters of the heart to sift our hearts, and that has been true for me. In fact, most of the posts on this blog are stories about how God is teaching us, challenging us, and encouraging us through singleness--basically, they are accounts of God making us holy in body and spirit.
God uses singleness to build his Church and to make us holy, and in my concluding post, I'll list a few more reasons why God considers singleness a valuable thing.
Going green!
Lynn
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