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What Are You Looking For - 3rd in a series by Jessica Sheets Before you start reading today, I want you to stop and think about what you are looking for in a guy. Seriously--stop and think of the five most important qualities to you (pause here while you do that). Now, first of all I want you to think about whether or not those "qualities" will still be an issue in 50 years. If not, maybe consider replacing them with some that, hopefully like your relationship, will actually stand the test of time. If things such as looks and money are at the top of your list, then what happens when you end up with a good-looking rich guy who treats you like dirt? I know there has to be an initial physical attraction, and taking care of how we look is not a bad thing. But the character of a guy is what will determine what he puts into a relationship. Muscles may look good and give you a tight hug...but they will never love you. So let’s think about some of the attributes that really are important and need to be non-negotiable. Probably, the first thing on your list is that he needs to be a follower of Christ...but we really need to get a little more specific than that. Does the guy you’re with (or hoping to be with) have a growing walk with God? And I’m not just talking about whether or not he goes to church or is active in your campus ministry program--any guy can do that (and some do just because they know there will be hot girls there). But does he spend time with God because he wants to, not just because it’s on his spiritual checklist? Does he talk about God like he really knows Him...not just knows about Him? (And if you don’t know the answers to these questions...they are definitely worth exploring!) One sure way to know if your fella (or wanna-be fella) is in tune with God is to look at how he treats you. Is he respectful? Does he make you feel better or worse about yourself? Is he a gentleman? I know that all sounds old-fashioned, but I personally still appreciate having the door held open for me. I’m certainly capable of opening our Jeep door by myself, but it does make me feel good when my husband makes those gentlemanly gestures. It is just one way he shows that he thinks I am special. Someone once said that women are like fine china dishes, and men are like Tupperware. The possibility that we are a little more delicate doesn’t mean we are incompetent or weak. It does mean that we are precious and valuable--and if the man in your life doesn’t treat you that way, then he is not worthy of being the man in your life. Proverbs 12:4 says, "A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown." Any guy worthy of being in a relationship with you (especially for the rest of your life) should treat you like a crown--something full of precious jewels. How would you act if you were holding a million dollar necklace? You would be extremely careful so that it didn’t get damaged...you would treat it like it was priceless and irreplaceable. Is that the kind of relationship you are in? If the guy you’ve got your eye on asks you out, do you think he would value you like a crown full of precious jewels? Do you even know any guys who would? The thing you have to do is decide what is important to you. Do you really want this kind of godly guy? Next you have to believe that they really do exist--probably far greater than what you have seen so far. And then the hardest part is that you have to decide if you are going to wait for God to put it together, or if you are going to settle for something else. We live in a world where patience has pretty much been thrown out the window...just make it happen, and make it happen now! And then you throw into the equation that we are waiting on God to do something...well He takes longer than anybody! But if there is anything that we desperately need to wait on Him for, it is relationships. They have the potential to make the rest of our life wonderful or miserable. But even if we’re not talking about forever, simply dating can have the ability to cause so much pain...pain that might be avoided if we trust God’s leading. I’m not saying there will never be heartache, but I am saying that God has a plan. And His plan is perfect. So are you willing to wait for it? Because when we wait for God to give His best, then we really do get His best! And we are most definitely worth it!