. I asked her if she would be willing to share a little excerpt from the book here to give you all an idea of what the book is like, and she graciously sent this along:
Deal Breakers
People who wink at wrong cause trouble,
but a bold reproof promotes peace.
PROVERBS 10:10
Do you just hate it when a guy blasts the music too loud when you’re in
his car? Or when a girl can’t seem to tear herself away from her cell phone long
enough to say hello? Maybe you’d never date someone who has a tattoo, doesn’t
laugh at your jokes, or has a lot of baggage from a previous
relationship—beliefs we’re not willing to compromise. But what does the Bible
say our deal breakers should be?
Same spiritual beliefs. “Can
two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (Amos 3:3). If a
couple’s beliefs are lopsided or unequal, they will never be able to grow
together. Similarly, Paul warns us not to “team up with those who are unbelievers”
(2Corinthians 6:14).
Accepts authority. The Roman
officer whose story is told in two gospels had soldiers and slaves under his
authority. He was a powerful man, and yet he accepted Christ’s authority
(Matthew 8:5-13). Does your date accept the roles God gave all of us? Does he
respect those in authority? Does she accept God’s authority over her life?
Hygiene habits. This isn’t
about how often your date flosses or what kind of deodorant he wears. It’s
about the state of his heart. Does he or she care more about the outward
appearance than the inside? Beauty only scratches the surface of the skin. If
your date’s daily spiritual habits are as regular as a shower, you’ll be able
to see the fruit in his daily life.
Financially free. Can your
date manage his or her pocketbook? Did she spend her rent money on a new pair
of shoes? Did he blow his next paycheck on the latest GPS? Scripture tells us
to “Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to
those who collect them…Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love
one another” (Romans 13:7-8).
All our deal breakers are different. Some of them won’t really matter
in the long run (he’ll probably turn down his stereo when he has a baby in the
backseat!), but don’t compromise on a life partner whose heart isn’t full of
Christ.
Adapted from: Not Another Dating Book © 2012 by Renee
Fisher. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR. Used by permission.
