When God entrusts his children to us - for they're all ultimately his - he knows what we lack, he knows where we're weak, he knows how we tend to sin, yet still he places these children in our households and under our care.
Gary L. ThomasLove your God and your family and you're making an eternal investment. Family life will continue in the New Heavens and the New Earth, but even the most amazing accomplishments on this earth will quickly fade. Genesis 5 teaches us to prioritize people over accomplishments.
Gary L. ThomasA large part of parenting is about managing weariness and motivation. Much of the success of parenting is about avoiding the sins of "omission" as well as "commission." You can feed, clothe, and house your kids and not really parent them. When we raise kids for selfish reasons (to feel proud, to have people love us and appreciate us), if they disappoint us we'll pull back. But when we realize that God has called us to raise godly children and God is always worthy to be obeyed, we have a motivation that goes beyond our own pride and our own comfort.
Gary L. ThomasHaving children made me confront my true fears and trust in God many times over in a much more intensified manner.
Gary L. ThomasIf you want to be free to serve Jesus, thereโs no questionโstay single. Marriage takes a lot of time. But if you want to become more like Jesus, I canโt imagine any better thing to do than to get married. Being married forces you to face some character issues youโd never have to face otherwise.
Gary L. Thomas