Looks are deceiving. Piranha fish may look harmless, but they have sharp teeth and leave a mean bite.
I really do not want to write this post….but I feel, it is part of my responsibility as a single Christian. I need to preface this post with the fact that I am not asking anyone to judge another person per God’s instructions to us – “How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you are well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” –Luke 6:42
With that being said, just because someone is involved in a Christian singles group, it does not attest to the fact that he/she is a born-again sold-out Christian. I’ve seen this played out so many times and have seen its destruction that many times. It can be devastating to the person who falls prey (not pray) to this evil behavior. Usually what happens is these people who have motives of landing another (for personal pleasure) is looking for someone who is a bit new in their faith and vulnerable. And like a piranha, these impostors devour their subjects all under the guise of being a Christian. And it makes me so sad.
The main point of this post is Please Realize that Christian Single Groups are Not Automatically Safe Places and better yet, just because someone says they are a Christian…doesn’t necessary mean that they are.
So be very cautious about building relationships with others until you’ve seen the true character of that person. When you’re not totally infatuated with them, its much easier to make a realistic assessment. When you are head over heels in love, then its difficult to see the truth before your eyes. But, keep a look out for those red flags. There are several character traits that will tell you the type of person that individual is and I will list some in a few graphs. However, first I want to chat a bit about the two different approaches that I’ve witnessed.
Again, these are not tried and true facts and I am totally speaking about generalities here. But, women in this category are seeking security (financial, emotion) at all costs and look to land a man who will take care of them. Men, on the other hand, or looking for someone who will give them pleasure…that’s about all I’m going to say about that.
So how can you guard your hearts. Here’s a few simple tips.
1) Take things slowly.
2) Become friends.
3) Go out in group settings and watch how that person behaves.
4) Listen to how they answer bible study questions or if they answer questions.
5) Observe their actions – who they hang with; how they spend their days off.
6) Watch their church attendance. If they seldom attend or church hop or singles group hop…that’s a red flag.
7) If they are constantly turning their heads around to see who’s walking through the door – move on. They are just interested in meeting the new kid in town.
And most importantly, pray. Seek God in the relationship and be patient to hear what he says.
Heck at the end of the day…it’s best to be friends, then to go through a relationship that God never intended for you. Friendship is a win-win for all…and if it moves into finding your soul mate…is there anything better?
So be careful. Satan is very crafty and knows that Adult Christian Singles Groups are fertile ground. I have to confess that I learned this the hard way and feel prey to a piranha fish…and I don’t want you to have to experience the same heartache. It’s affects were profound.
