Revelation 14:4
“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are
virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and
to the Lamb.”
There is a group of people who often have been overlooked because
of something over which they have no power to control. These people are
often joked about and at times overlooked for a leadership position all
because of a status which they cannot control. Yes, we have Sunday
school classes geared just towards these people, but somehow we still
treat them as if they are still adolescents who need to grow up and
change their status. This group of people who I am talking about are
single adults who for whatever reason have not found that person whom
they feel God wants them to marry.
God has a special place for singles in Heaven. The verse above
talks about a group of people who stood around the throne of God singing
a song that only they knew. These singles must be special people to God
because He could have chosen any other group of people, but He chose
singles to sing the new song around His throne. The reason we know they
are singles is because God says, “…they are virgins.” In spite
of how many people may look down on a single adult, God uses them in
Heaven. Let me quickly address this special group of people who God
loves and uses.
First, single adults are not a second-rate people. I have talked to
several single adults who almost get discouraged because of how fellow
Christians treat them. Just because they are single doesn't mean they’re
weird or sodomites. Let me encourage the married people not to joke
about their single status. They can't control this! We don't know if God
wants them to be single for the rest of their lives or if He is just
waiting to show them who they should marry. Let me encourage you to
treat them as the adults they are. Just because they are not married
doesn't mean they are not adults.
Second, God can use single adults. Every pastor needs to readjust
his thinking on how to use single adults. Single adults can make great Sunday
school teachers because they can give their full attention to those in
their class. Single adults can lead soul-winning groups or teach in a
Christian school. Let me even go a step further and remind you that
single adults can even be an assistant on a church staff, or be a
missionary or an evangelist. I was a single adult for the first five
years of my ministry as an evangelist. I thank God that pastors didn't
hold that against me. There are many still serving the LORD today
because of those early years in which God used me as a single adult.
Don't be so closed-minded that you won't use single adults because of
their marital status.
Third, if you are a single adult, live a pure life and give a full
effort to serving the LORD. These who sang around the throne were
virgins. You may be a single adult, but your adult status doesn't give
you the right to be promiscuous. Do right and stay pure. If you will
give all of your energies to serving the LORD, you will find it easier
to stay pure.
Single adults are a special people to God. Let’s not be guilty of
wasting their potential just because they are single. Realize that God
has a purpose for them being single to this point in their life. Let’s
not be guilty of overlooking God’s ability to use them just because they
are single.