A Good Quote From A Good Book

I am reading a book right now by Elisabeth Elliot called The Shaping of a Christian Family. It is somewhat of a memoir of her childhood, and the way her parents strove to raise their children in a way that was pleasing to the Lord. I am enjoying reading it, and I found this to be a good quote. She says that "a father's submission to a Heavenly Father means submission to the needs of his children, in other words, sacrifice and humble service, always the conditions of Godlike authority." She then quotes Martin Luther:

Our natural reason looks at marriage and turns up its nose and says, "Alas! Must I rock the baby? wash its diapers? make its bed? smell its stench? stay at nights with it? take care of it when it cries? heal its rashes and sores? and on top of that care for my spouse, provide labor at my trade, take care of this, and take care of that? do this and do that? and endure this and endure that? Why should I make such a prisoner of myself?"
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, I confess I am not worthy to rock this little babe or wash its diapers, or to be entrusted with the care of a child and its mother. How is it that I without any merit have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving they creature and thy most precious will? Oh, how gladly I will do so. Though the duty should be even more insignificant and despised, neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor will distress me for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight."

Let us not be like the world and seek only our own pleasure, but let us rejoice in the privilege of serving our children, whom the Lord has lent to us for such a short time!