On Big Families And Being Scared

Elizabeth Esther (whom I adore by the way) wrote a post this morning about large families and Christians. And it stuck in my craw a little bit.  So rather than hi-jack her comments I thought I'd share right here on my own blog.

First let me say, we have two kids.  Whom we adore. And when asked if I am done (which is a VERY rude question by the way) I smile sweetly and say "oh yes."  However, I am not at all opposed to large families.  In fact half of the blogs I read are of larger families.  I LOVE their families.  I love those moms.  I totally support them in their decision to be counter cultural with their large brood. Janet, Dianna, Char, Lady Why, you all rock the party.

However, it doesn't make them better than me.

It doesn't make them holier, more full of faith, more sanctified or more blessed.  In some of their cases it makes them obedient as they truly believe that this was what God called them to.

But he did not call me.  Trust me.  I asked.  Many times.

And apart from a few verses in the Psalms that are sometimes taken out of context God is rather silent on family size.

I am not afraid.  I am simply living the life I believe God called me to.

You see, we Christians are REALLY good at finding something that works for us and extrapolating it to include all Christians. I've seen it argued that God has called us to be more organized, more crafty, cleaner, adopt babies, sell everything, get everything, sing more hymns, sing more worship songs, follow very traditional gender roles, smash traditional gender roles and so on.

It's enough to send those that are not Christians screaming into the night.

Ands I've seen scriptural support for ALL these things.  Sometimes taken wildly out of context but still.

And amidst all of this we tend to miss the point.  It's not about what we do.

We are saved by grace.

What we do should flow out of the relationship we have with our Saviour and Creator.  And we serve an infinitely complex God so his people are going to look so very different.

Even when they are obedient.

This doesn't make them stupid or scared or sissies.

It makes them a reflection of the God who created them.  The church was not called to be uniform, it was called to be obedient.

So if God is calling you to have 14 children please go do so.  And let me know so I can send you a gift.  Cause if there is one thing I do know about lots of kids, your'e probably gonna want some pants for this baby without holes in the knees.

We just all need to do that which we are convicted by the Holy Spirit to do.

By grace.