Sunday, February 12, 2006 

RPMs Handout

I meant to hand this out today. It goes with the first part of RPMs: Recognizing Potential Mates. Today's talk had to do with selecting a mate. We talked about the special smell that new cars have, about how great they look in the almost irresistible glitter of the showroom. But, we also talked about how soon the newness wears off. We tied it to the sad realities of the divorce rate, and talked about children growing up in single parent families. Selecting a mate is not about makes and model numbers, or tans and perfumes. We need to ask ourselves some serious questions before we sign on the dotted line:

Fruit of the Spirit

Love — Is this a loving person?  Does he or she sacrificially love me?

Joy — Does this person have an exuberant spirit like the one that lives in a man or woman of faith?

Peace — Does this person have peace with God through Christ?  Is this a person who is anxious and worried all the time, or do you sense a calming nature?

Patience — Is this a person who is able to delay gratification? Is there discipline in how finances and money are handled? Is he or she patient, or demanding?

Kindness — Is this person truly kind? Whatever you do, pick someone who is kind.

Goodness — Do you sense that this person basically good? Does he or she have strong morals, and stand up for what's right?

Faithfulness — This is the mark of a true believer. Find someone who will always be there for you, who is consistent and honest. Ask yourself, is this person faithful, or flaky?

Gentleness — Is this person cold and macho, or warm and sensitive to your needs?

Self-Control — Does this person control his or her speech?  Does he or she have control of the sex drive, or is it always about going off road & jumping in the back seat?

Posted by | 7:15 PM