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Single vs. Unmarried
Single vs. Unmarried, there is a difference! No, I am not just playing at semantics; there is a difference. The word single in the Webster dictionary is defined as, “consisting of a separate unique whole, autonomous (independent)” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Even though I am unmarried, I do not truly consider myself as single. I am not independent of people; I live in a family and most importantly, I am constantly dependent on Christ.
We as Christians should not want to live an independent life, but instead choose a life dependent on Christ and fellow believers in everything. The word single and the feelings it carries can cultivate a spirit of loneliness and discontentment; as a young adult it is inevitable that people will ask the question “Are you single?” When I nod my head, they often respond, “Wow, I am surprised! You are such a great catch.”
When I answer these questions I often say, “Well I am not single, but I am unmarried.” After all, unmarried simply means what it says. I haven’t said, “I do” at an altar.
I am not married. It’s a fact and I find that when I use the term “unmarried,” it removes many of the negative feelings associated with the word “single.” Now, we may not be able to abolish a word as simply as that, but I do want young men and women to understand the importance of words and how they affect the spiritual atmosphere we live inSome unmarried men and women long for a mate and asking them whether they are “single” can stir up feelings of dissatisfaction or discontentment with the fact that they are not in a romantic relationship.
The cure for this is to choose your words carefully. Tell them, “I’m not single. I’m unmarried.” As long as we remember that we’re still dependent on Christ and our relationships with fellow Christians, we’ll have a better perspective of our season of singlenss---oops! I mean in their season of being unmarried!
Note: Definitions used are found at http://www.merriam-webster.com/ Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Copyright © 2008-2015 Courtney Pierce
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