You Poor, Wretched Fellow, Have You Taken a Wife?

Marriage advice from Martin Luther, in his usual entertaining style. 

"...Our natural reason . . . takes a look at married life...and says, 'Alas, must I rock the baby, wash its diapers, make its bed, smell its stench, stay up nights with it, take care of it when it cries, heal its rashes and sores, and on top of that care for my wife, provide for her, labor at my trade, take care of this and take care of that, do this and do that, endure this and endure that, and whatever else  of bitterness and drudgery married life involves? What, should I make such a prisoner of myself? O you poor, wretched fellow, have you taken a wife? Woe, woe upon such wretchedness and bitterness! It is better to remain free and lead a peaceful, carefree life. I will become a priest or a nun and compel children to do likewise.'

What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful, and despised duties in the Spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels. It says, 'O God, because I am certain that thou hast created me as a man and hast from my body begotten this child, I also know for a certainty that it meets with thy perfect pleasure. I confess to thee that I am not worthy to rock the little babe or wash its diapers, or to be entrusted with the care of the child and its mother. How is it that I, without any merit, have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? O how gladly will I do so, though the duties should be even more insignificant and despised. Neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor, will distress or dissuade me, for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight. . .' God, with all his angels and creatures is smiling—not because the father is washing diapers, but because he is doing so in Christian faith."

-Martin Luther, "The Estate of Marriage" (1522 A.D.)