Before You Date Someone

‘Listen for God’s voice … he’s the one who will keep you on track.’ Proverbs 3:6 MSG

Before you date somebody, ask yourself:

1) Am I free to be who I am? Paul writes, ‘Let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be’ (Romans 12:6 MSG). If you have to reinvent yourself to keep somebody happy, you’re in the wrong relationship. If they disapprove of you now, do you seriously think marriage will improve things? Not a chance!

2) Is the relationship based on honesty? The Bible talks about ‘telling each other the truth’ (Ephesians 4:25 CEV). Relationships thrive on openness and trust. When deceit creeps in, it’s time to get truthful in a hurry or call it quits.

3) Have we established clear boundaries? If the relationship ended today, would you regret your level of involvement? The Bible says, ‘Run from sexual sin’ (1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT). God made sex a commitment specifically for marriage; otherwise what was intended to be beautiful and fulfilling can leave you feeling ‘used’.

4) Is this person possessive or controlling? If so, it’s a red flag. The Bible says, ‘Love is … never jealous’ (1 Corinthians 13:4 CEV). If you can’t make a move without the other person’s permission, you need to back off and re-evaluate the relationship.

5) How are we spending our time together? Without a plan, it’s easy to get more physically involved than you should. That’s why it’s good to agree up front about establishing boundaries.

Keep God in your relationship and you won’t go wrong. ‘Listen for God’s voice in everything you do … he’s the one who will keep you on track.’

Bible in a Year: Num 11-12; Mark 5:21-43