Love comes in many forms and for these five individuals in the Bible, it was their love for God that kept them chasing after Him and His Kingdom.
“Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me—a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others,” wrote Paul to the Corinthian church (1 Cor 7:7, MSG).
The institution of marriage has always seemed like an end-goal in life. Singlehood, on the other hand, is perceived as a problem that every well-meaning relative wants a hand in solving. Well, Paul puts it very plainly in 1 Corinthians 7 that both singlehood and marriage have their advantages.
In fact, we see many Bible heroes chasing after their God-given purpose while they were single, putting their energy into serving God. Some of them eventually went on to find a life partner, while others spent their lives alone. Regardless, they all chose to focus on serving and honouring God right where God placed them.
Ruth Who Knew What Was More Important
Ruth was married, then she was single, and then she found love again. Her life is a reminder to us that being single or married is not permanent.
by Gebhard Fugel
The remarkable thing about Ruth is how she held on to her beliefs in the face of disappointments (Ruth 1:16-17). She must have dreamed of having her own family when she got married, but her husband’s death changed everything. Yet, when her dreams were shattered, she rose above her circumstances and chose to take care of Naomi, her mother-in-law.
From the book of Ruth, many consider Ruth and Boaz’s story to be a love story; but it is important to note that Ruth wasn’t out seeking love. She was simply trying to support herself and Naomi when she stumbled upon Boaz’s field. Meeting Boaz seemed to be God’s way of setting her up for her future. The rest, as they say, was history.
Joseph Whose Only Desire Was To Honour God
Joseph was a young man when his brothers sold him to Egypt (Gen 37:28). The Bible says he was a “strikingly handsome man” (Gen 39:6) and his Egyptian master’s wife was smitten by him. Interestingly, he refused all her advances despite her best efforts.
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife by Guido Reni
Against the backdrop of being abused by his brothers and then being sold off as a slave, Joseph’s priority was still to honour God where he was placed. He told his master’s wife, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9)
As the story goes, Joseph was thrown into jail because of a lie his master’s wife told. The good news is, because he honoured God, God honoured him too. Genesis 39:23 tells us, “The Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.”
Martha, Who Was Secured In Her Relationship With Jesus
Martha was a close disciple of Jesus and the Bible records that she lived with her sister Mary and brother Lazarus. We assume she is single because no husband was mentioned in the Bible. The first time we meet her, she had opened up her home to Jesus and His disciples and was busy serving them (Lk 10:38-42). She later complained to Jesus that her sister Mary was not helping her.
Christus bei Maria und Martha by Tintorett
The next time we see her, she was mourning the death of her brother Lazarus (Jn 11:20-44). Martha went to meet Jesus and told Him plainly that Lazarus would not have died if He had come earlier. In this exchange with Jesus, we see a woman who knew who Jesus was and had a deep connection with Him. At the end of the exchange, she declared, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (Jn 11:27) Not many people had this revelation back then.
Martha shows us the kind of relationship we can have with Jesus as a believer. She was not afraid to share her honest thoughts with Him about her, she boldly told Him how she felt about Him being late to the funeral—she knew that she could be real in front of Him. Sure, He would chasten her like He did when she complained about Mary, but Martha felt secure in Jesus’ love for her. She knew that nothing would make Him love her any less. That is a lesson we can all learn.
John The Baptist Who Knew His Purpose From The Start
Jesus’ cousin, John, had a clear understanding of what he had to do in his life, and he poured his entire self into it. He was introduced in Matthew 3:1: “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’”
The Preaching of St John the Baptist by Alessandro Allori
John knew that his life’s mission was to prepare the way for Jesus (Mt 11:9-10). He preached the message of repentance and never backed down in the face of persecution. In the end, his unyielding passion for preaching repentance cost him his life (Mt 14: 3-12). But Jesus honoured him saying, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;” (Mt 11:11)
In John, we see that when we are clear of our purpose and call, we will live a fulfilling life.
Paul Who Taught That Marital Status Does Not Define A Person
Apostle Paul openly admitted that he preferred the single life, “free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master” (1 Cor 7:32). Determined to fulfil his calling to spread the gospel, Paul was often travelling from town to town—sometimes even in shipwreck and prison. His bachelor status gave him the freedom to travel wherever the Lord led him.
Apotle Paul by Rembrandt
Marriage, which is a blessing in itself, is not the recipe for success in life—following God is. Paul sums it up well in 1 Corinthian 7:17. “And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life”
So whether single or married, let us purpose in our hearts to do what is right, honour the Lord, find our identity in Christ, know our calling and live out our best life!
