Exposition:

“Life is a matter of choices and every choice you make, makes you” – John C. Maxwell.

Choosing a life partner is the most important decision we would ever make outside of choosing to accept Jesus as our personal Saviour. In Bible times, arranged marriages were common as compared to modern trends. In the text above, Apostle Paul warns us not to choose to marry someone who doesn’t share our deepest beliefs and spiritual commitment.

It is important to note here that we should not marry with the intention of changing the person after marriage for it is the Holy Spirit alone that can change someone. Couples who have thought of changing the person after marriage have lived to regret it. It is important to evaluate some indicators in making a choice of a partner. A prospective partner that we can choose for marriage must be someone who loves and fears God (1 John 2:15). When a prospective partner has reverence for God and His word, then we can be assured that his/her love for God will be replicated into our lives.

Seeking the counsel of God in our choice of partner is also important. Jer 29:11 assures us that God knows the plan He has for us, plans for our welfare and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope. Since God has plans for us then it is right to seek His face in this regard. Let us remember that it is only God who can give us the” helpmate” we so desire. In this regard, the part of prayer cannot be underestimated. As young people preparing to marry, let us be careful not to allow our natural desires to aid in our choice of a partner. As we adhere to the counsel of God, let us also seek the counsel of the elderly in our decisions. Our parents can help us in our choice of our future partners since they know us well and they have our best at heart.

Another indicator is to evaluate the character of the person (Pro 28:6). Let us remember that the character of a person is more important than beauty so be guided. Remember that a wrong choice is a mistake that can never be corrected so choose rightly.