The greatest of all the spiritual exercises is service. Performing acts of goodwill towards others, lending a helping hand, being a friend, offering a shoulder to cry on; these are the primary reasons for coming to this earth. In Heaven, no one is in need. There is no one to help. There are no problems to solve. In effect, Heaven presents few opportunities for growth. But this earth with all its problems and pain; this is the place where we can truly grow.
Acts of service towards others will make you a better person. These acts cause you to grow beyond yourself and help you to place others first. And when you help others, God Himself takes notice and is pleased.
There is a relevant quotation from Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me." (Matthew 25:34-40)
An act of kindness to the weakest of souls is an act of kindness to God. And, service to others, is an act of obediance to Christ. Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)
I want to end this discussion by mentioning the greatest act of service of all. And that is telling others about Jesus Christ. He is the Way of eternal life. If you lead another to Christ, you have helped give that person the gift of eternal life.
Telling others is our obligation under the Great Commission. Before ascending into Heaven, Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matthew 28:19)
And what better way to fulfill the Great Commission than in the rearing of a child. Your children are your greatest hope. Others will come and go. Your level of influence in the lives of friends and co-workers will vary. But a child you will raise from infancy to adulthood. You will love your child like no other. You will take responsibility for shaping and molding them, teaching them to know the Lord Jesus Christ, teaching them about life, helping them to grow into moral, happy, competent adults. There is nothing better than this for completing your humanity.
The prophet Malachi spoke of marriage and children when he wrote:
"Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet [is] she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth." [Malachi 2:14-15]