“Equally yoked?” (Sermons on relationships by a popular Atlanta area pastor, Andy Stanley resulted in reflection on this idea on 2017.)
One way to think about it is to be about becoming the kind of person that the person one is looking for is looking for….With that in mind, one needs to be careful that (s)he is true to “self” and stands firmly in the values and virtues one has embraced and by which one is committed to live. Is it only in regard to one’s profession of faith in Christ? I don’t think so as it is clear to me that profession of faith alone doesn’t really tell one what kind of Christian another person is. If two people are equally yoked, their worldviews, their values, and their goals in life, it seems to me will bear some resemblance to one another, or more appropriately…resemblance to Christ’s. You can’t get to where you’re going in life if the person you’re yoked with is headed in a different direction or is taking the scenic route, while you are more focused and know what God’s will is for your life. Matters of money and stewardship, attitudes toward work, choices about recreation and social life, expectations of relationships (with one another, with family, with friends, with church community, etc.), servant-heartedness versus self-interest ideals, and so much more enters into the long term picture. Too many jump into relationships, it seems, because they have one thing in common…..physical or emotional attraction…..before they know one another well enough to determine if this is someone I would spend my life with, bring into my circle of family and friends, make sacrifices for, put my entire confidence in with my/our children, finances, etc. One way to mentally fast forward into what life with someone will be like is to look at what their life in the past has been…..and what difference has relationship with Christ made and how steadfast and now long has their walk with the Lord been? How are they living into God’s will? Are you prepared to live the life they believe God has for them, even if it is contrary to the one you have believed he has for you??? The absolute WORST reason to let oneself be drawn into another person’s life is because of that person having a similar addictive history…”she understands me”, “he gets me” ‘we have so much similar history in our lives”…..That, it seems to me is simply seeking acceptance from another person and perhaps accepting less than what God has for us. God understands us. God gets us. God isn’t going to send us someone who will take his place as our “mirror”, our reason for being, our “one true love”….He is that. Just saying……