Two suggestions at maintaining proper relationships…

Now in preventing an affair: first all make a commitment to GOD's standard; two, magnify the consequences; three, maintain your marriage; four, manage my mind; and then maintain proper relationships.

"But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality..."  Ephesians 5:3 (NIV)

Studies have shown that most affairs occur between close personal friends, co workers, family members.  All of us though have to live in the world. You can't go and join a convent; that's not an option for many of us.  So you've got to be able to maintain relationships with people.

Two suggestions:

1.  Don't listen to a member of the opposite sex complain to you about his/her spouse.  It is real tempting to try to be a good listener when somebody wants to tell you about all the marriage trouble they're having and all the difficulties and what a bad person their spouse is being.  But that's dangerous.  Don't do it.  Steer them quickly to a same-sex counselor and let them get counsel from someone else.

2.  Be aware of a sense of electricity between you and another person.  By that I mean – you're standing in a group of people, talking, and all of a sudden you're aware, you catch another person's eye and there's this kind of "buzz" that goes between you.  What was that!  You weren't expecting it, you weren't looking for it, but there it was, it happened.  What do you do?  I think we have two options as believers in JESUS CHRIST:

(1)  You can let that flatter you, feed your ego "Hey, after 18 years of marriage someone thinks I'm attractive other than my husband."  You can respond to that, move into it and continue the conversation.

(2)  Or you can move backwards, either hug your husband, put your arm around him, do something that signifies "I'm not interested."  Get rid of that sense of electricity, because it's there.

Just an important thought from the front porch…