I remember when I was a kid, I used to get allowance. One day my brother had gotten a $50 dollar bill for his allowance, and I had $20. He asked if we I wanted to trade him. Now that I am older, I believe he was just teasing me.
To his surprise, I told him no. He asked, "Really?" I kept repeating, "No, I don't want to trade." He asked me why and I said, "Because, I like how much I have."
The thing is it wasn't a $20 bill, it was, to my recollection, a couple of $5 bills and a lot of $1 bills.
He told me, "You like quantity over quality."
As a young kid, I liked having all the bills that appeared to be a lot in my eyes and made me feel rich, but my brother was holding one bill that had more value.
I'm sure you're getting my drift but, since you're here, let's talk about this for a little bit.
Dating.
Yep. That word. Mostly, everyone likes this word and want it. But let's be honest here, do we know what it truly means?
Here I'll give you a definition: dating is between two people who can do whatever they want physically, get bragging rights to show off they have a boyfriend/girlfriend and/or become the most famous popular couple for the world.
Is that the right definition?
No, didn't think so. But that's what todays dating is like. "We have to be the hottest couple." "We have to do this to fit in." "Let's take a selfie of us smiling and post it, so everyone can see how happy we are."
To me it's sad to see the way dating has become. But...let me be honest with y'all. I've never dated. Ugh. There I go again being too vulnerable with y'all, but I want you single ladies, and single men, out there to relate with me, even for those who have dated.
Aren't you tired of the way dating has become? Don't you want something real, beautiful, a God-written love story? Aren't you tired of the same worldly dating cycle? Aren't you sick of the quantity and would rather have quality?
In the book of Ruth, I'm sure Ruth and Boaz were not expecting to find love, let alone marriage. God ordains and critiques destinies to come together in ways you didn't see coming. Your path was still looking straight, and you kept walking straight, but you didn't know your path was curving and about to cross with another's.
God moves in ways you never see coming.
Ruth was a Moabite woman. Boaz was an Israelite. They were both different and came from two different backgrounds. Moabites had gods they worshipped, but the Israelites worshipped God Almighty. Ruth was poor and a widow. Boaz was wealthy and had no partner. Yet they both had something in common. They worked. Ruth chose to work hard for her and her mother-in-law Naomi, as Boaz, a relative of Naomi was the owner of the fields Ruth goes to glean. Do you see God curving their paths to cross?
When Boaz saw her, he was immediately interested in knowing who she was.
Ruth was a poor Moabite who worshipped other gods before knowing the true God of the world, yet she and Boaz are part of the lineage of Jesus Christ!
You can't tell me God can't turn it all around for good and for His glory! Amen!
C'mon somebod-ay!
This shows the quality of your heart, of who you are, and who you have in your heart. This matters more than the quantity of how much you have to offer, to show off to date or how many you've dated.
Don't settle. Don't hop around. Don't go into debt to please a man/woman. Don't go impressing a man/woman by being rude to others, using people, hurting others to get someone to like you. It's petty and ridiculous.
Take a lesson from Ruth and Boaz. Do what God has qualified you to do. Become qualified by God, not gain quantity by the world. Your future relationship depends on your decision.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to not settle for anything less of what you have in store for me. I give up my ways of seeking and dating around to find the right person. I give up the quantities of my desires and choose to seek the qualities of your plans. Guide and teach me to stay focused on you and soon, you will align the right person and I to meet. I trust you with this area and know you will bring me good, hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
My Friends, I pray you have a great week. I pray God gives you strength, peace and joy! If you haven't yet, my book When The Pressure Is On: Dating is available on Amazon! Go to my Shop tab at the top and it'll show you the link to go straight to the book!
Peace out peeps :)
Scripture for the Weekend:
"Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."
-Psalms 27:14
"Boaz...(has) been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women...Now don't worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman."
-Ruth 3:2,11
Songs for the Week:
Terrian -Wake Up
Brandon Lake - Set of 2 (Such a cute song!)
Rachael Lampa - Perfectly Loved ft. TobyMac (I can't stop listening to this song)
