Our college-age Sunday School class is working through a book called Single Men Are Like Waffles – Single Women Are Like Spaghetti.  I’m realizing it is much easier to talk to them about dating relationships, than to my own teens! 

This week’s chapter talks about the level of commitment men and women experience as sex enters the equation.  Women think sex is a sign of love, and men think love is a sign of sex.  If she’s giving, to receive his love, and he acts loving, to receive sex, then they are on different wavelengths.  The bond that forms then seals a relationship that is difficult to break.  God says in Genesis 2:24 that the two become one.  The resulting emotional ties affect every decision thereafter and cloud the ability to avoid bad relationships.

If a singles are willing to set high standards for their dating lives, then they will be able to be objective about their relationships.  What kind of values does that person have?  work ethic?  respect for family members?  what are their goals in life? views on politics?  how do they spend money?  These questions and more need to be asked before a relationship gets entangled by physical ties.

We assume if we have those feelings of “being in love,” everything else will work out.  But what happens when the feelings aren’t there?  That’s when integrity and commitment keep a marriage together until the feelings return.  Every marriage goes through bland times, but a marriage built on trust and respect has a greater foundation to last.

So, talk about the long-range effects of a life together, and maybe those sex talks will take on a whole new perspective!

Sally