Five Rules For DatingLove, Dates & HeartbreaksJuly 17, 2022

It seems as if there are rules about absolutely everything. Every family has their own household rules. Things like, “If you made the mess, you clean it up.” Or, “No cell phones at the dinner table.” Maybe, “Homework before screen time.” You know what I mean. Every sport has rules. There are rules for driving, rules for grammar, rules of law, and rules for games. If you’re playing dominoes at my house, I don’t care what the rules on the box say, we’re playing by Voigt rules! Which brings up an interesting point... rules can change from one place to another. There are differences between the driving rules in Italy versus the United States versus Peru. Actually, in Lima the rules are more like suggestions, but you get the point. It’s important to know and follow the rules that apply in your setting. The word ‘rule’ can be traced back to the Latin word ‘regula’ which meant ‘straight stick, bar, or ruler.’ The root word, reg, means ‘to move or direct in a straight line.’ Have you ever bought what we commonly refer to as notebook paper when stocking up on school supplies for your kids? It comes in wide-ruled or college-ruled. Ruled refers to the straight lines printed on the paper. Rules tell us which way to go. Where to write on the paper, which lane to drive in, or what you must do when you’re down to your last domino. And if you don’t... there’s a price to pay. 

We are working our way through a five-week series called, Love, Dates & Heartbreaks. We’ve spent a couple weeks talking about love. This week we’re taking a look at five rules for dating. As with all the other types of rules we’ve considered, these rules for dating have a purpose; they are intended to help you know which way to go when it comes to building a relationship with a potential romantic partner. I suppose you could just wing it... but successful relationships are cultivated intentionally. Even if all you turn out to be is friends, don’t you want to develop that friendship in a healthy way? I don’t know anyone who is anxious to leave a string of broken relationships in their wake. No rules relationships result in heartache. But choosing to play by these dating rules will help you build connections that will allow both you and your significant other to thrive, regardless of how you ultimately define your relationship. Healthy relationships are worth the work. Let’s play by the rules.