What Are The Do's And Dont's When Dating?

Different dating techniques work best for different situations, but here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind, whether it’s your first date as a couple, or your tenth:
Firstly, here are some ‘dating dos’:

• Be attentive to the other person. Do most of the listening and keep asking questions.
• Maintain eye contact with him or her – just make sure that it’s not too intense.
• Plan your date ahead of time. You don’t want to enter into the cycle of ‘I don’t know; what do you want to do?’ Decide on something beforehand and keep a backup plan in mind in case it doesn’t work out.
• If it’s your first date: assess whether the other person is in fact a genuine Christian. Share your testimony with him or her and ask them to share theirs. If you’ve dated previously and you know that they’re a Christian: share what God has done in your life since you last saw the other person, and ask him or her what God has done for them. Discuss your mutual faith as frequently as possible, as this common bond is very important and mutually edifying.
• After the date, call or email the other person to let them know that you had a good time. He or she will appreciate this courtesy – especially if they had a good time as well!

Next, here are some definite ‘dating dont's’:

• Don’t act distracted during a date. Keep your eyes from wandering from the other person. Nothing will show a greater lack of interest on your part than fidgeting and looking anywhere other than at them.
• Don’t use the other person as your sounding board. Complaining about your job, your appearance, your family, your church, or whatever, will not serve to portray you in the best light.
• Don’t pretend to know more than you do or that you are a different person than who you are. This is both dishonest, and dishonoring to God – and you will be caught out eventually.
• Don’t agree with the other person when you know that what they’re saying is wrong. This is especially important when it comes to defending your faith. Always correctly portray the character of God through your words and actions.
• Don’t be afraid to end the date early. If things aren’t working out or if you feel uncomfortable, you have the right to end the date at any time.
• If it’s your first date: don’t agree to a second date unless you’re sure that the other person is a Christian.

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