After weeks discussing healthy dating relationship principles we are finally drawing to a close with our 7th and final principle.  Do other great dating principles exist?  You betcha.  Think you have one?  Add it to the comment section!  But we will finish this thing by going straight to the heart.

Principle #1: The type of bait you use determines the fish you catch.

Principle #2: Be yourself.

Principle #3: Recognize that no other person can complete you.

Principle #4: Maintain godly friendships outside of the dating relationship.

Principle #5: Open up your hands and entrust the relationship to your Heavenly Father.

Principle #6: Establish Relational Lifeboats.

And finally, Principle #7: Guard your heart.

I wish I could take credit for this one, but it actually belongs to King Solomon himself.  The principle can be found in the book of Proverbs.  King Solomon was the wisest man who has ever lived.  It only seems right that he would leave a book of wisdom to his children and to us!  If you open up to chapter 4 verse 23 you will read:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

That is a heavy warning.  “Hey kids, you will need to protect many things in this life.  The most important?  Your heart, for it’s where all of your lifeblood comes from.”

We use heart to mean many things.  It pumps blood.  It can bleed, break, beat, leap, jump, pound, speak to us… you get the idea.  Solomon says that this amazing organ is to receive protection.  More than wearing body armor, he wants us to take care of our hearts in the arena of relationships.

So what does that mean?  Watch and I’ll catch you after the jump…

Fine China from Ginger Ciminello on Vimeo.

Making more sense?  What you expose your heart to really does matter.  Take care of it.  Heed Solomon’s advice and protect it above all else.

But if you are like me, you need to guard AND release.  Pray that you would learn to protect your heart, share your heart, and to entrust it to our Father.  Check out this advice from C.S. Lewis:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless–it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

My prayer is that you might know more freedom and joy in your dating relationships by tempering the romance with wisdom and giddiness with guidance. 🙂

Following,
Ginger

p.s. Have another principle to share?  Add it to the comment section!