I always looking to my a friend of mine who dated to a woman from Davao. When the girl visited my friend, Chris, they are so inseparable. It seems that they did not need anyone else. Sometimes, when we had our group study, Chris wont go with us because of his girlfriend. Also, Chris was often times went back to their house to spend weekend with his family because of his girlfriend. There are many cases that Chris really made low scores at school and low grades because he did not concentrate in his studies anymore and become distracted by his girlfriend from Davao. Sometimes, or often times Chris will say that, oh this is Ana - his girlfriend- said this and said such this and such that and he is foolishly and selfishly cut himself from other relationships - family, friends, classmates.
I believe that people can relate to this, and we can see that dating is all about two people focusing on each other. And most of the time, we can figure out that the world is gone and people really focus to each other. Sometimes, I feel so awkward to be with them because I become out of place.
Now, I know that if two people are really forwarding to marriage, i am not saying that it is wrong to date together. It is important to know the person well. But I do believe that it is not good to isolate yourself from others in this serious relationship. I still believe that if two people are really intend to get married but no commitment at all, this focusing and isolating from others are detrimental. As Christian, it is important to take this seriously. As what we read in the
Book of Proverbs 15: 22, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." I do believe that if we make decisions about life based solely on the influence of one relationship, we will probably make poor judgements.
"Unless a man is prepared to ask a woman to be his wife, what right has he to claim her exclusive attention? Unless she has been asked to marry him, why would a sensible woman promise any man her exclusive attention?" Elizabeth Illiot states in 'The Passion and Purity'. How many dating relationships you can see in the pasts and in this present times, that it end only to find out that other friends severed?
When Chris and his girlfriend broke up with each other, Chris realized that his other relationship - like us his classmate and family relationship - has really affected because he was so engross with his relationship with his girlfriend. He realize that feel sorry that he taken for granted his friends and family because of his girlfriend. It is a tendency that when you had into a relationships and isolate yourself with it, friends and family are set aside where in fact they are the one who really love and care for you. And sometimes, because of romantic relationship, we tend to forget God who really and truly cares for us and prepare what is best for us.
Therefore, Dating often isolates a couple from more other vital relationships.