A dating checklist is something you can use to make sure the person you're in a relationship with is a person that will be a positive influence on you, your life, and your faith. It's easy to let the excitement of someone liking us take over and make dating decisions based on just wanting to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. However, there are some things we should consider in a dating relationship, and a dating checklist makes us think through things clearly.
- Does the person share your faith? Dating someone of a different faith or missionary dating can influence your own walk in a negative manner. However, minor differences may not be a deal breaker in a relationship, it just may mean you have to work harder to understand those differences.
- What does God say? Have you spent time in prayer asking God what He thinks about this relationship. It's amazing what God will say about potential boyfriends and girlfriends if we just ask.
- What do your parents say? If you don't think you can bring someone home to mom and dad, it's probably not someone you want to date. The bible is clear that we should be obedient to our parents, and hiding a boyfriend or girlfriend from them is not honoring God.
- Does the person treat you in a godly manner? In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 we learn what love is supposed to be. If the person you're considering dating doesn't quite live up to any of these things, it may be worth reconsidering. Love doesn't mean agreeing on everything all the time, but it does mean having respect for your differences and dealing with them maturely.
- Do you like the same things? No, you don't have to love everything your boyfriend or girlfriend loves. However, you should have some common interests and share common values. If you don't, it can become very easy to get bored or resentful in a relationship.
- Does the other person refrain from leading you into temptation? In dating relationships there are a certain amount of temptations to participate in sexual activities, and there may also be temptations to drink or do drugs as well as other things that might not be so good for you. Does the person you're considering dating help keep those temptations from getting out of control or take precautions to protect you from doing something you're not ready for or you feel will be displeasing to God.
- Do you give each other emotional support? Each of you have certain emotional needs, and when boyfriends and girlfriends don't support each other when the other is sad, happy, proud, etc., a relationship is bound to fail. We have to lift one another up.
- Are you able to be honest with one another? When entering the dating world, it can be easy to say all the things we think we should say to please the other person rather than the things that need to be said. All it does is breed a relationship based on dishonesty. If you can't be honest with the person you're dating, you may want to reconsider the relationship.
- Do you share friends or like each other's friends? When you're in a dating relationship and you hate each other's friends, you are guaranteed some major hurdles. Who's party do you go to this weekend? Are you never able to all hang out together? While liking all of his/her friends isn't mandatory, you should be able to get along with most of them.
- Do you have fun with one another? Dating is like any relationship in that it takes work. However, if that work isn't pleasing or fun, it may not be worth the hurt and pain inside.
A dating relationship should make you happy. That's what the dating checklist is for. If you're answering no to a majority of the dating checklist questions, then this probably isn't going to be a happy or fun relationship. However, the dating checklist is not the be all, end all guide to finding a good person to date. What it does do is help you make a good decision when you think you like someone.
