The Corona Survival Guide for SinglesMuestra

A single person’s purpose during the pandemic

Last year I attempted to count how many hours my wife and kids were costing me.

(Does that sound coldhearted? :)

Out of pure curiosity, I tried to tally up all the time I spent dating my wife, playing with my daughters, communicating schedules, and watching games from the bleachers. When the math was done, I learned that my family was costing me . . . a lot! 

My dear wife and kids were a full-time job.

Then the coronavirus came along. And, somehow, that number went up. With no time at school and virtual learning done by 11 a.m., my daughters expected daddy time to deal with their boredom. My wife had more to communicate, more problems to solve, more routines to create.

I’m not complaining. I know that God has given me a sacred purpose and that this is my new purpose as a family man.

This might seem like an odd way to start a devotion meant for singles. You may or may not have children, so why am I spending my time talking about the amount of time I have to devote to my spouse and kids?

Because that’s what Paul did when he talked about a single person’s purpose. 

In 1 Corinthians chapter 7, a breathtaking chapter on biblical singleness, marriage, and family, Paul wrote, “An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” (verses 32-35).

Paul’s point is not that it’s better to be single or married. His point is that each relationship status has a wonderful purpose. Married people are called to love and respect one another, which takes quantity time. Unmarried people are called to carry out the Lord’s affairs, which they can do even better, since their interests are not “divided.”

So what does that mean for you during the coronavirus?

It means you have time that I don’t. While I’m checking my girls’ spelling tests, listening to their piano practice, evaluating their driveway chalk art, and picking up the six (billion) things they left lying around, you can devote yourself to loving your family, friends, and neighbors. You might have time to . . .

Call that woman from your church who recently became a widow.

Leave a few thoughtful ratings/reviews on ministry podcasts that have been a blessing to your soul.

Encourage a great leader whom you know to keep on the same humble path.

Invest in a teenager who respects you, even during that stage of life when they have lost respect for their parents.

I envy that. Truly, I do. I often regret not finding more time for such good works, but you have that capacity. 

So what might be your purpose during this strange season of our lives? What would your “undivided devotion to the Lord” look like as the weeks of our self-isolation wear on? Please answer that question with intention. Write down the good works that you (and maybe only you) can do. 

Because your singleness is not a problem. It’s part of your purpose.