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it’s easy to see why the ability of being a contented single was not given
to many. If you recall, the book of Genesis tells us it was "not good for
man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). The Hebrew word translated "alone"
better translates into a phrase that means something like, "incomplete"
or "part of something greater." This
suggests that, in a way, God created Eve to "finish" or complete Adam.
The creation wasn't finalized until both man and woman were together. Eve "completed"
Adam just as Adam "completed" Eve. That's how humans were made—except
for a few who have been specially gifted to live a permanent single life. God
put within us the longing for that completeness and that longing leads us into
dating (or courting). The
Dating Game Looking
back on dating I have to say it can be deceptive. That may not make since if you're
dating someone or looking for someone to date right now. But maybe after reading
this you'll have a better idea of what's really going on in your mind and heart
while you're dating—or looking for someone to date.
When
we date, we see the absolute best of the other person and they see the absolute
best of us. We bathe, dress for the occasion and act our best. We focus on the
other person and do nearly everything to please him or her. When the date ends,
we return home to an entirely different world where we live to please only ourselves.
We dress how we choose, we eat what we want, watch what we want, etc. All of this
applies to our date's return to reality as well. In
dating, most of us purposefully hide what we think might cause the other to reject
us and, in turn, see an incomplete version of the other person as well. In
addition to seeing only the best side of your dating partner, if you ever grow
tired of him or her, it's very easy to take a few days off without harming the
relationship (though you do have to be careful). Is
Dating a Good Predictor of Married Life? The
apparent health of your dating relationship doesn't guarantee you'll have an easy
transition into a healthy marriage. As discussed above, dating isn't a realistic
look at your relationship's ability to persevere. Therefore, you can't use your
dating experience as a definite measuring stick for marriage. This
is important because it's possible for a dating couple to assume that commitment
won't play a large of a role in their future marriage. After all, if having a
successful marriage relationship is as easy as dating, who needs commitment? It's
easy to be committed when two people are not sharing bills, bathrooms, babies
or beds. So enjoy
dating. It's a lot of fun and can help you get to know someone extremely well.
But remember that no matter how wonderful this person seems right now, marriage
will serve up days when you think you’ve married the wrong person. That's
when you know that dating is over and real life has begun. Perhaps
that day is far away or maybe it's coming very soon. But remember to take dating
with a grain of salt. And be prepared for more effort and commitment if you marry
the person you are dating right now. -Lee
Wilson
© 2004 Lee Wilson. All rights reserved. 
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