You've Touched My Heart~

Good morning :)

 

Yesterday a few of you wrote back to express how you wished you would have known that a man who protects a woman's reputation is a good thing!

 

Even though it sounds like common sense, the truth is that sometimes our girls do not know what exactly to look for in a man, and sometimes our boys have all the best intentions but they were never properly taught or modeled the right behavior.

 

That's where we come in.

 

For those of us who have kids, we can teach them, and for those of us who are looking to date and marry, we can be on the lookout for these beautiful qualities.

 

I myself was very blessed after reading the story of Mary and Joseph because I realized that God chose an excellent man to be Christ's earthly father. We all want the same thing for our children and for ourselves.

 

But there is one book in the Bible that has always been the source of most of the relationship advice I have given my kids--the book of Ruth.

 

Ruth 2:8-13

She said, “Oh sir, such grace, such kindness—I don’t deserve it. You’ve touched my heart, treated me like one of your own. And I don’t even belong here!”

 

The backstory is that Ruth is a widowed foreigner traveling with her mother-in-law back to Israel. She and her mother-in-law are practically destitute. And then she meets a man named Boaz.

 

Principal number one: The words a young man speaks must be filled with grace and his actions must be kind. He must touch a girl's heart--NOT ANYTHING ELSE! Other versons of the Bible say that you have comforted me, reassured me, put me at ease, and encouraged me.

 

It is the epitome of romance.

 

If the young man you are dating is not filling your heart with grace and kindness, RUN FAR FAR AWAY!!! If he is trying to connect somewhere else besides your heart--you know what to do.

 

I once counseled a precious young lady who couldn't quite figure out what was bothering her about her boyfriend. It turns out that he had a subtle way of undermining her self-esteem by making comments like, "You are so beautiful, but you would look prettier with bangs." "I love you just the way you are, but that blouse makes you look a little pudgy." He once went so far as to suggest a nose job. Lord, have mercy! He would always give a compliment before a criticism. It was so damaging to her, and continuing to be with him would have been a mistake. Eventually she was able to see that he wasn't kind or gracious,and he certainly didn't touch her heart. There was nothing comforting, reassuring, or encouraging about his words. He did not put her at ease--he put her ill at ease. Bottom line: He hurt her heart, and she broke it off.

 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, Thank You for including me like Joseph and Boaz in the Bible. It provides an excellent model of what men act like and what women should look for. Help us and our kids be strong in this area because who we choose to be in a relationship with is the most important decision we will ever make. Thank You that our number one relationship is with Christ and the He guides us. In Jesus' name, AMEN~