I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. Paul is saying: I think it's better to stay single like I have. But then he qualifies: everyone's called differently. What I notice is Paul's honesty about his own preference. He's not pretending objectivity. He's saying what he thinks while acknowledging not everyone will agree.
I'm a relationship coach, and I've been trained to be neutral on all relationship choices. Married people are fine. Single people are fine. Divorced people rebuilding are fine. The message is inclusivity. But Paul seems to be saying: actually, there are some preferences. Some ways of living are better for some people in some seasons. The married person has divided attention. The single person can be fully devoted to God. That's not a judgment. That's just a reality.
What's helped me is Paul's combination of conviction and humility. He thinks singleness is preferable. He's lived it. But he doesn't demand it. He acknowledges that people have different gifts and calls. I'm trying to live that way. Honest about what I think is good while respecting that God might lead people differently. It's possible to have convictions without being authoritarian about them.
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