The Gift of Singleness: Wholeness Without a Spouse - Contemporary Example

A contemporary example of this content

The church often treats singleness as a problem to be solved rather than a gift to be stewarded. Paul wished that everyone could be single like him (1 Corinthians 7:7-8), recognizing singleness as a calling that enables undivided devotion to God's service. This doesn't mean single people are more spiritual, but that their circumstances allow for different forms of ministry and service. Jesus Himself lived as a single person, and in Matthew 19:12, He acknowledges that some are called to remain unmarried 'for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.' This isn't second-best living but an alternative path of faithful discipleship. Single people aren't half-persons waiting to be completed by marriage. They are whole individuals created in God's image with unique contributions to make. The lie that 'God has someone special for everyone' creates false expectations and unnecessary anxiety. God may call some to lifelong singleness, and this calling is equally valid and valuable. Isaiah 56:4-5 promises special honor to those who choose to remain single for God's sake: 'To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters.' Single people in the church should be valued for their contributions, not pitied for their status. They often have greater flexibility for ministry, missions, and service that married people cannot easily provide. The church must create space for single people to flourish in their calling rather than constantly pushing them toward marriage as the ultimate goal.