"Drawing Close" My 6-year-old son loves Magnetix. Unlike Legos, which are snapped together and pried apart, magnetized pieces that attract or repel make building easy. According to my son, his set will even jump out of its storage area and onto the floor without any assistance. Yeah, right . . .

When it comes to relationships, attraction is definitely not to be toyed with. For believers in Jesus, God's Word commands us to pursue romantic relationships only with persons of the opposite sex who are also true believers (v.14). We should be deliberate in our closest relationships (1 Corinthians 7:39).

Paul wasn't advocating that we hide in a Christian subculture. He knew how important it is for us to have relationships with unbelievers so that we can tell them about Jesus (Colossians 4:5-6). Boundaries in our relationships, however, are important. And they have everything to do with understanding koinonia. The Greek word for fellowship, koinonia implies communion and intimacy. It means much more than simply getting to know someone. The idea is that your intimate fellowship will allow you to draw life from each other.

To grow that close to an unbeliever can lead us to adopt their views and choices (Exodus 23:32). In our relationships with people who don't know Jesus, we must be on our guard against compromise with sin (Psalm 1:1). This includes not taking on attitudes and actions that deny God's call to make healthy changes in our own lives (Romans 16:19).

David made a commitment to draw strength only from those who made the Lord their dwelling place (Psalm 119:63). We should do the same. Our ability to reach others for Jesus is greatly influenced by those we draw closest to. , Regina Franklin, Our Daily Journey

CLICK HERE to visit OurDailyJourney.org