PARENTHOOD
a divine stewardship

We need to be fully committed to our married life, family life, and the church life. The ties that bind us together are permanent. In the genuine family life and church life, no one is hired or fired. Can we hire someone to be our child, or can we fire one of our children? Of course not. Neither can members of the church be hired or fired. Likewise, if a servant of the Lord can fire one of his coworkers, then they are not truly working together in the Lord. In the Lord's work there is no such thing as hiring or firing. Therefore, in the family life, in the church life, and in working together for the Lord's interests, we need forbearance. Forbearance is necessary because we are bound together permanently.

...If we all exercise forbearance, we shall have a pleasant married life, an excellent family life, and a wonderful church life.
(All the above are excerpts from the Life-Study of Philippians, Message #59, pp. 517-523; Witness Lee, published by Living Stream Ministry 1984.)

God, the Source of Forbearance

The source of forbearance is God. God gives us forbearance so that we may accomplish His purpose. God has a purpose with us individually, with our families, and with us in the church. In order to carry out God's purpose related to us, to our families, and to the church, we need forbearance. If we lack the all-inclusive virtue of forbearance, it will be impossible for us to fulfill God's purpose. This means it will not be possible for us to allow God to fulfill His purpose with us, with our family, and with the church.

God has a threefold purpose with every one of us. He has a purpose for us individually, a purpose for us in relation to our family, and a purpose for us in the church life. It is crucial for us to realize that God has such a threefold purpose concerning us. For the fulfillment of such a divine purpose, we need forbearance. Without forbearance we shall not allow God to fulfill His purpose with us, with our family, or with the church.

...If we are forbearing, we shall have the wisdom and the ability to supply others with what they need. We shall also have the full knowledge of what to say to them and when to say it. For example, a parent who is forbearing will know how and when to speak to his children. If we do not exercise forbearance in our family life, we shall not be able to build up our family for the fulfillment of God's purpose.
(Life-Study of Philippians, Message #61, p. 535; Witness Lee, published by Living Stream Ministry 1984.)