As a single guy who is old enough to be pondering questions such as, ‘Am I contributing enough to my 401(k)?’ or, ‘Does my potential new job offer dental benefits, because I might need dentures soon…?’, I have been around long enough to have witnessed the marriage of many of my best friends. Coping friends’ marriages can be challenging for single individuals like myself. Heck, most of my friends are on their second or third
Tag: Envy
He walked out on his marriage a month ago and comes to your church. He’s brand new and comes to the singles group. He seems nice and you greet him, talk to him, and connect him. Over lunch that week, he mentions that he is recently divorced. As the conversation progresses, you realize that when he says “divorced” he mean that he has left his wife and the “paperwork” is still “in process”. So then,
It’s Sunday morning and you are off to church. You arrive on time for the worship service and slip into the back. Then, there it is. The happy couple in front of you with two kids and a dog at home with a nice home and great jobs. Just what you wanted to see when you came to church today, something you don’t have. This scenario can often exacerbate feelings of loneliness in church. Instantly,
True love doesn’t wait. That’s right. All our lives we were taught by Disney, ABC, Hallmark, and others that someday our one “true love” will come and sweep us off our feet. Get married and have perfect children and live happily ever after. But is that what Scripture teaches us? Christian programs talk about this issue, but we are not talking about physical attraction love only. Paul encourages a life of singleness over being married
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both freshwater and saltwater flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” James
There they go walking in front of you again. Mr. and Mrs. Perfect with their awesome married life. I bet they have a kid on the way! Wait, there is another young couple walking the opposite way holding hands and clearly in puppy love. Uh, it’s time to leave the mall because just when you had seen enough there is an elderly couple that looks like the were on the movie “UP” sharing ice cream
Have you ever heard the phrase “Sin will make you stupid?” Credit Dr. Danny Akin for that phrase. It’s true, sin will make people do incredibly ridiculous things knowing they will get caught in the act. Take people who look at things on the internet in a corporate work environment. Not all, but most corporations have a way to track what you see on your screen while you are at work. Knowing that people get
I attended a Christian college. I lived with a roommate attending seminary. I’ve been a part of a large singles group. Basically, I’ve been in a number of Christian circles. And within each circle I’ve noticed a common thread: Dating is way too serious. Maybe you can relate? After a date or two, a couple is considered to be dating. After a month, it’s a serious relationship. Within a few months, it’s time to start
PDA is everywhere. Holding hands, kissing, hugging, all sometimes done to an extreme in public. It’s the level of PDA as believers that we can control and that should be modest. Sometimes single adults who have found someone have been known to, well, show excessive PDA. This comes from possibly years of not being able to have someone to share physical emotions with and finally getting the chance to do so. As believers, you need
Ah, Valentine’s Day! As late winter exerts its seasonal charms (whether, in your region, that means snow turning to dirty slush, or dismal, chilling rain, or a cheery snot-fostering burst of early pollen…) our society arranged a trite holiday celebrating infatuation, and requiring (as all holidays do) an outlay of precious cash for proper observance. We’re conditioned to it early, from compulsory participation during most boys’ formative “I hate girls!” stage in elementary school; Valentine’s