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My guess is that most of you have heard about the story about Miss California's stand for marriage. As well, you probably know about Perez Hilton's comment stating that she lost the pageant because of her views. The idea that comes out of popular culture is that you are out of touch with reality if you hold on to these values. At the same time, they (the culture makers)must not believe in their own values too much either? Recently, I read a statistic that reported that there are more dogs per household in Seattle, Washington than there are children. In other words, many couples are choosing not to have children at all. I started to ask myself why is this?
Why is it that people don't want to have children in a world
I deduced the possibility for one of two reasons. Do not hear me say that these are the only factors, there are no doubt other factors that play out the childbearing debate. First, young couples are just too selfish. That's right, I said it! We are so caught up in our vocations and education and the limited recreation time that is afforded from them, that my generation and younger are choosing not to have children. The popular culture says that family life can be delayed or can even be foregone. This is a sad truth because all to often I see this trend happening in the church. The bible calls us, if possible, to multiply and fill the earth. This is not just a physical command, it is spiritual command. To multiply and fill the earth is a command to spread the fame of our great God! In fifty years, Islam will be the dominate cultural force. Why? Because the current cultural elite have developed a self centered attitude and convinced their generations that children don't matter that much. Muslims are the only people have children...and they are having alot of them! The same will happen in America is evangelicals don't just say they believe in family values rather live it out.

There is positive side to this though and it coincides with my second thought on the childlessness of our culture. I asked a friend who was unbeliever about why he and his wife didn't want kids. His answer was interesting. They are scared! They are scared of the world they will leave their children. WOW! In other words, the evolved world in which we are so confident is becoming a better place is not actually becoming a better place. Since the Enlightenment, a period at which man was sure of his ability to bring about world transformation and rid himself of pain and evil, more people have died as a result of war, famine, and disease. If you believe that your values are producing a better future, then populate it!

So why am I encouraged. It is because even though many evangelical couples have been dooped by the popular culture, evangelicals as a whole are still have larger families. Its only a matter of time when a tipping point will occur and move culture back in the other direction.

What is the moral of this story? Christians need to get their heads out of the sand. We need to see the cultural landscape and take courage. We need to have more children and stop worrying about the American dream. We need to see the call of parenting to be a call for the Gospel. It is a mission trip...for eighteen years! Raising children is more than getting them through high school and getting the right opportunities in front of them so they can succeed in life. No, the PRIMARY call of a parent to raise children of Godly distinction. Love God and Love People for the glory of God! Chew on that.

Grace and Peace.