All parents are familiar with the term, “stranger danger” it’s a terminology we use to convey danger to our children about strangers approaching them in a harmful way, and how they should respond when feeling threatened by a stranger. We have taught them to yell and scream to the top of their little lungs, “stranger danger” while they flee the person to seek help. However, we as adults also need to be aware of “stranger danger” when it comes to mating/marriage.

While working the other day, I made one click on my phone and wiped out an entire file of blog info that I couldn’t retrieve because I had not saved it. I’m sure that I don’t have to tell you how truly frustrated I was. God had given me some really good info for you all, and I lost it, sorry. Furthermore, I had no one to blame but me. I should've taken the time to save the file, periodically. 

After I got over the complete shock of it all, I realized that too was a lesson for me. One wrong relational decision can destroy your life, marriage, or family, and you must be cognizant of choosing wisely to save your life/marriage/family. Remember, that choosing a mate usually begins with meeting—a stranger. I am not trying to scare you, but to alert you, and to give you a proper awareness of relational impacts on your life and family, so that you will be successful in mating. 

The Holy Spirit spoke to me saying, “You don’t mate with your heart first, you mate with your understanding first.” He went on to explain that in the stranger stage of meeting, you don’t give your heart, you give your attention to understanding, and your ear to learning who this person is and what they are about. You don’t actually know this person; you’ve just met them.

Sometimes, we meet strangers through other people; family members, friends, neighbors, and even co-workers, but you must understand that this person is still a stranger to you, and sometimes also to them. We always think we know people, but some of the most horrific relationships came as a result of an introduction from someone we knew who thought they knew the person.

The truth is only God knows the truth about people, we just know the persona, not necessarily the person at that time. There are a lot of people playing games with other people’s lives; and that usually begins with the first meeting. If he/she is a perpetrator, liar, manipulator, criminal, addict, or simply someone who is ill-equipped to be a mate at this time, you want to be aware of this.

As a stranger they don’t deserve any of you. You owe them nothing except respect as a human being. Even, if this person has been an acquaintance, they don’t warrant your heart space at this time. They only warrant your attention. After your initial meeting you should go into prayer and seek God’s guidance about this person before your next meeting or conversation. Again, you don’t have to fear the process of mating, but you must respect the process and keep yourself safe.

Prayer:

Father, please help me not to rush into any relationship with someone who is new to my life. Give me the wisdom and the patience to take it slow with them. Also protect me and my family from any evil intent through anyone. And help me to choose wisely the mate that You desire I should be mated with. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.