Friendships with Young Men

“Friendships [with young men] should not be intimate, but good-naturedly distant. Would you be able to maintain the friendship on an equal footing if you were married? If not, it is probably an inappropriate friendship. Women should have the kind of friendships with young men that are characterized by purity and propriety. If you have to alter your behavior after you are married, you have probably been behaving in an unwise or ungodly manner.” ~ Nancy Wilson

I have several friends who are young men (they all happen to be my brother’s friends too). I often think of them as brothers and enjoy my friendship with them. I am careful about how I talk to them, how often I talk to them, and how I treat them. However, it is easy to start to let my guard down and not be as cautious as I should be. When I read the above statement, I began thinking of the friendships I have with various young men. With each one, I asked myself if my behavior toward them would change if I were a married woman. While I would like to believe it wouldn’t, it is a sobering thought. I was also reminded of another statement I have heard, “Every young man you meet is more than likely someone else’s husband”. Keeping pure friendships with young men is not easy, but I wholeheartedly believe it is worth it. By applying these two statements to my friendships with young men, I will not only have no regrets about these friendships, but I will be able to continue them for years to come.