This Week # 2-35

This Week in OFF ROAD we began our 2 part series “G.I. Barbie- guys, girls and relationship” I took the students through God’s design for all relationships. The three main points were:

1.We were all created in God’s image.(Gen. 1:27) So we’re are all unique, special and loved in God’s eyes, and if we want to be like God we must understand the uniqueness and love God has for everyone. This is foundational to our understanding or relationships with everyone, including people of the opposite sex.

2. We were created for relationships. (Gen 2:18-23) God made us to be in relationship with others, and he specifically made men and women to be “just right for each other.” Because God designed relationships we can look to Him for guidance in relationship (i.e. the trinity, unity of believers, Jesus’ disciples) Students need to understand that God’s original design was to be in full relationship with Him, and that needs to be our focus.

3. Our #1 priority should be God. (1 Corin. 7:32-35) God’s designing of a man and a woman might get some Jr. Highers excited with the belief that God wants us to have boyfriends are girlfriends, but as Paul points out in Corinthians, our #1 priority should not be the opposite sex, but God. Until our focus is on Him, we are not ready to focus on getting into a dating relationship.

From my experience and from what the bible says; get right with God, focus on Him and make him relationship priority #1 and if you still desire a more series relationship with the opposite sex then He might just allow that to happen.

***just a side note. I believe that dating is to help find out who you are compatible with for marriage; therefore if you aren’t at a point in your life to get married, you aren’t ready to date. Motivations for dating become very ‘worldly’ if you date when you aren’t seeking a spouse.

I would encourage all parents to set up expectations for dating/ relationships now. It is better to talk things over with your kids and set rules that you can agree upon beforehand rather than trying to deal with it when it comes up.