It's like friends with benefits, Christian style. While the writer blames both men and women for the communication problem, she argues that single people are doing a disservice to each other when they engage in emotionally intimate, opposite sex relationships. Of course reading about the potential dangers of having guy friends makes me question every friendship I have or have ever had. What can I say? I'm a girl. I tend to over-analyze.
For my sanity's sake, I'm going to stop thinking about it and go to bed. But first, a few convicting quotables (emphasis mine):
"Women...need to assume less. A woman should not assume that a guy friend she's spending time with is: a) just too shy to make a move; b) thinking she's the woman of his dreams but the timing isn't right; c) in denial of God's will that they be together.
"We get it. A woman loves to read into a guy's every action. That's her relational crime. But the guy does her a disservice by allowing her to be his "buddy girl" — a female friend who provides the relational benefits without the commitment...
"Single men and women are failing each other. Uncommitted intimate friendships may satiate immediate needs, but they lead to frustration and heartache. Not to mention, for singles ready for marriage, these "friendships" waste time and energy...
"Ecclesiastes croons, "There is a time for love." If, as a woman, you are indulging in an intimate friendship with a man who is not pursuing you, you are accepting a cheap imitation of love. And by spending all your time with a guy who will never put a ring on your finger, you may miss a potential suitor.
"If, as a man, you are spending large quantities of time with a woman, you may want to consider if perhaps the relationship is deserving of an upgrade to an intentional relationship that explores the possibility of matrimony. If not, do your sister the courtesy of making your stance clear, freeing her to be pursued by another man. "Above all, if you find yourself in an intimate friendship with someone of the opposite sex, ask the Lord for wisdom and discernment."
Almost as snarky and fabulous as the book my friend recently lent me: How to Ruin Your Dating Life by Matthew Paul Turner and Kerri Pomarolli. Definitely will incite a chuckle or two from anyone who has been around the Christian dating scene long enough to hear things like "When you're quiet, I can hear God." Or, "I think I just need to date Jesus for a while."
We are a creepy, weird bunch.
Wisdom, please?
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