Secure and Joyful Lives

Dele and Fola, mentioned earlier, have  now been married for over ten years, and they remained determined to continue childless.  "Our relatives still pressure us to have children," says Dele.  "Their  main concern is our future security. We always express appreciation for their consideration, but we tactfully explain that we are very happy in what we are doing. As to security, we point out that our trust is in Jehovah, who cares for the welfare  of all those who remain faithful and loyal to him. We also explain that having children does not guarantee that parents  will enjoy their care when old. Some people care little for their parents, others are not able  to help, and still others die before their parents do. On the other hand, our future is certain with Jehovah."

Dele and others like him confidently trust in Jehovah's promise to his faithful servants:  "I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)   They also believe that "the hand of Jehovah has not become too short that it cannot save, nor has his ear become too heavy that it cannot hear."-Isaiah 59:1. 

Another reason for confidence comes from observing how Jehovah sustains his faithful servants. King David wrote:  "A young man I used to be, I have also grown old, and yet I have not seen anyone righteous left entirely."  Think about that. Do you know of any faithful servant of Jehovah who has been "left entirely"? -Psalm  37:25. 

Rather than looking back with regret, those who have spent their life serving Jehovah and their fellow Christians reflect on it with satisfaction.  Brother Iro Umah has been in full-time  service for 45 years and now serves as a traveling overseer in Nigeria.  He says: "Though my wife and I are childless, we keep in mind that Jehovah has always cared for us both spiritually and materially.  We have lacked nothing. He will not abandon us as we grow older. These years in full-time service have proved to be the happiest in our life. We are grateful that we can serve our brothers, and our brothers appreciate  our service, and they help us." 

While many couples have produced no fleshly children, they have produced children of a different kind: Christian disciples who worship Jehovah.  The apostle John was about  100 years of age when he wrote:  "No greater cause for thankfulness do I have these things, that i should be hearing that my children go on walking in the truth." (3 John 4)  The faithfulness of John's  " children "-those he introduced to "the truth"-brought him great joy. 

The same joy abounds today. Bernice, a Nigerian woman, has been married for 19 years and remains childless by choice.  For the past 14 years, he has served as a pioneer. As she approaches the time of life when it will no longer be possible for her to bear children of her own, she feels no regret about devoting her life to disciple making. She says:  "I feel happy to see my spiritual children growing up. Even if I had children of my own, I doubt that they would be closer to me than those  I have helped learn the truth. They treat  me as though I were their natural mother, discussing with me their joys and problems and asking me for my advice.  They write letters, and we visit one another. 

"Some view it as a curse not to have natural children. They say that you will suffer in your old age.  But I don't see it that way. I know that as long as I serve Jehovah whole-souled, he will reward me and look after me. He will never throw me out when I get old." 

Next time: Loved and Valued by God

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000