Whenever I go to any zoo, one of the things that amazes me is how the remnants of animals originally from another part of the world (usually Africa and Asia) are now being preserved in many zoos across the West, with the inscription - ENDANGERED SPECIES. With the way things are going in terms of value systems that are now more lopsided to sync with countless and many directionless influencers, economic hardship and fulfilment of the scriptures regarding end-times, it may be safe to say that marriage - as the Father prescribed it, is fast becoming an endangered species.
Pronouns have become a significant topic as gender confusions pervade the world. Sodomy has gotten approval in the grandest chambers such that sitting within the Creator’s original manual for "male and female created He them" becomes a crime. The burgeoning rights of the far left appear to mean that there is no right whatsoever to be far-right. The nomenclatures wife, husband, him, his, he, her, and she are being replaced with partner, they, them, and their. It mightn’t be long before IT will be added to official documents. To preserve the pronouns of the original script - we owe a duty of keeping to his/her, s/he, him/her, wife and husband—small and soft ways of preserving the endangered species.
Some months ago, my wife and I boarded a bus to Edinburgh airport, returning home from a short holiday. This wonderful Chinese guy sitting opposite us kindly assisted us with a falling suitcase. After expressing gratitude for his kindness, we sought to meet him by introducing ourselves. Take his name as Sean. Sean is a handsome MSc student on a scholarship from the Chinese government. He was travelling to Portugal to rest for a few days from studying. He is not in any relationship and doesn’t think highly of marriage. He had many questions about how we became sure we were fit for each other. The 35 minutes ride was a great session marketing marriage and the Christian faith to a bright young man.
One of the reasons Sean wouldn’t dare think of marriage soon is finances. He explained the cost of weddings and mortgages in his part of China, and it seems more understandable for people to cohabit than to start a family. And even among those who think highly of marriage, the financial implications of starting a family have been a significant bottleneck, especially in the face of global economic hardships. Cohabiting is now an official status, especially when two lovebirds are afraid of signing the lifelong commitment document. Some believers now see cohabiting as becoming excusable as well. This trend is not in tandem with the Bible.
I saw an analysis on a friend's wall on social media a few days ago. He explained how a new couple in a Nigerian city will require between #200,000 - #300,000 to stay afloat pauper lifestyle. And how having a car, living in a decent estate, a megacity, having two children, and a few other decent stuffs could raise that to #500,000 to #600,000 monthly. In the face of unemployment and underemployment, a minimum wage of #30,000 and an endlessly soaring cost of living - his point was to caution people going into marriage.
None of the above issues teaches people to refrain from premarital sex or emphasise the God-ordained intentions for marriage. Let us look into the future. Will the above factors abate? What happens to marriage as intended by God? An endangered specie!
We have serious jobs on our hands to preserve the marital institution after the order of the scriptures. Help the youths the Truth to know, help to build capacity, create jobs, show that marriages still work and be a great example.
©️ SELAH SERIES 2023
