The Art of Dating

At a glance

• Dating is a learned art. The goal is to get to know the other person.

• Love yourself enough to want God's best in your life.

• Walk with a sound mind. Physical intimacy is not the focus.

• You are a masterpiece of God. So is the person you're dating.

• Purity of heart matters.

• Plan talking dates. Double dating keeps it light and cheap.

• Communication reveals maturity and priorities fast.

• You're looking for a best friend; long suits and short suits included.

• No rush toward anything physical. It clouds judgment.

• Ask the real question: could you love, honor, cherish, and sustain this person for life?

• Rushing physically can make you miss the better one right under your nose.

  
  

An art is learned. You can learn how to date. The art is getting to know the other person.

First and foremost, love yourself enough to want God's best in your life. In everything we do, we should walk with a sound mind according to the Word. Dating included.

Physical intimacy is not the focus here. You can control your mind and your bodily desires to fit what you understand to be God's will for your life.

Take time to date and get to know different people. Each one you meet is a masterpiece of God, a treasure in an earthen vessel. More important than physical attractiveness is the purity of their heart, the beauty of their soul. And you only get to see that by talking, by watching them in different situations, by learning who they actually are.

One of the great parts of this art is taking time to do things where you can talk.

• Plan fun, positive things to do. Double dating works well. It keeps things light and helps you avoid those awkward, pressured moments.

• Lots of good activities cost little or nothing. The point is to be together, to share your hearts, to learn what the other person appreciates and what they don't. You'll start to see their maturity, where their priorities sit, and whether those priorities fit with yours. Communication is the biggest part of this whole art.

You are looking for someone who will end up being your best friend. Get to know their long suits and their short suits both.

Develop friendships and enjoy them for a good while. There is no rush for anything physical. Physical involvement tangles up your emotions and clouds your logic. 

So instead, ask yourself the real question. Would this person make a good lifetime companion? Could you love, honor, cherish, and sustain them according to God's Word for the rest of your life?

If you get physically involved before you've thought it all the way through, someone far better for you might be right under your nose, and you'd never even notice.