06.01.10 The 4th Key for Evaluating a Prospective Partner's Spiritual Alignment Does the Person Show a Clear Commitment to Spiritual Boundaries?

4. Does the Person Show a Clear Commitment to Spiritual Boundaries?

Assess how the prospective partner relates to moral and relational limits. Are the person’s boundaries shaped by reverence for God? Does the individual honour purity and demonstrate restraint in his or her conduct? Are limits respected consistently, both in private and in public? When the person’s desire, opportunity or emotional closeness increase, does she or he maintain discipline; or does the person gradually relax boundaries? Does his or her conduct protect dignity, clarity and moral order?

As we shall discuss more deeply in chapter five of this book, Joseph demonstrated exemplary honor and restraint in his relationship with Mary. For instance, he deliberately refrained from physical intimacy until after the birth of Jesus. Mary must have attested to the man's profound reverence for God’s purpose and an unwavering commitment to respecting boundaries. She was carrying a baby by the Holy Spirit and therefore ‘set apart’ as a ‘wife’ until Jesus had been delivered. That part of her body was 'holy ground' where he dared not 'tread' until God gave the go-ahead, and that was after Jesus had been born (Matthew 1:25). Mary must have seen how Joseph's conduct reflected deep respect for and obedience to deity, self-control, clarity and an acute sense of moral responsibility.

Donald encountered a starkly different reality with Harriet and her ‘boundaries’. She was not willing to keep them. You may recall how one Sunday morning, a male voice from inside her apartment revealed that the girl’s moral and spiritual boundaries were driven by worldly standards and therefore not aligned with Donald’s.

Spiritual alignment is authentically expressed through the boundaries an individual establishes and meticulously protects. Spiritually-minded moral discipline builds trust, nurtures stability and creates a secure environment as you relate with each other. This forms a strong foundation for a spiritually aligned relationship, ensuring a sense of safety and mutual respect grounded on God’s standards.