Some Thoughts On Marriage
By Ps Dev Menon
Last week was Valentine’s Day, and one of my AGs requested that Chene and I share our ‘couple story’, of getting together and marriage. Another couple requested that I help them conduct a vow-renewal ceremony, as it was their 10th anniversary. Plus I think I’m coming close to conducting around 100 weddings… (not to mention twice that in premarital sessions).
Yet what is on the horizon? The data from the recent IPS Poll (part of the Singapore Perspectives Conference, 2024) indicated that 70% of the younger generation (21-34 years old) did not see the need to get married, and 72% stated there is no need to have children. Thankfully, 68% still wanted to get married and 67% desired to have children.
So what does that tell me? On one hand I think this data is quite positive. It shows that the ‘idol’ of marriage and family is slowly getting torn down. People still wish to get married and have family but are less pressured into it – so that means less shame when these things don’t or can’t happen. By the way, 82% of youth think that being single is ok.
Yet when we delve further into the rationale why people don’t want family, we see that it is because of the cost of living and the high stress working environment. Work and lifestyle have taken over family as the primary idols of our nation.
That’s the problem when we try to tear down idols without Christ, another idol takes its place. Dealing with societal issues without the gospel only creates new monsters and new problems for the next generation. Which is why the church only has one message for our friends and family and country – follow Jesus! Then marriage & singleness, children and barrenness all become gifts for the kingdom. Family is put in its right place.
For more thoughts, why not…
- Watch my sermon on family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXK317Hhy_M
- Read my friend’s insightful book: “The Air We Breathe”, by Glen Scrivener
