“Don’t criticize someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes.” - That’s the anonymous quote many of us have heard pretty much all of our lives.

A couple of weeks ago, my oldest daughter made an observation about me before she had an opportunity to consider the weight of her statement. In a moment of heated debate, she chose to describe me in a terribly unflattering manner. She called me “LAZY“!!!

Now, truth be told, we probably all have our special moments of laziness…that downtime when nothing “has” to be done and no one is “dominating” our time. These are the times when we steal away to that quiet place and relax without any intention of doing ANYTHING for the rest of the evening.

It was during one of these times that my daughter happened to stumble into the room and within 12 seconds, determine that I was “LAZY“.

Needless to say, I struggled with this a little!

Now…I love my little girl and want only the best for her. In almost every case, I give her the benefit of the doubt.

However, this was clearly a case where she needed a little “education“!

So……

………Tomorrow, Greenville County Schools are out – but guess who’s coming to work with Dad??? That’s right! My oldest daughter, Mary Beth, will be joining me for a day “in my shoes“! She will come to work with me and walk through the various “tasks” that have to be done during a typical day.

It’s going to be AWESOME!

She may not think so…but that is another story. For now, let’s let her enjoy a day of walking in someone else’s shoes! Maybe we all could benefit from that on occasion??

Last week I mentioned in this post that on the heels of a preponderance of news about marital infidelity I would be posting some of the boundaries Tabitha and I share as a means of guarding our marriage. These are not exhaustive by any means but should serve as an example of some of the steps we take to protect our marriage.

Sexual sin, and particularly adultery, have derailed some pretty incredible ministries. I do not believe for a moment that the vast majority of those involved would have consciously chosen their actions over avoiding the consequences in all of the lives that were ultimately impacted. So why did they fail?

I am a simple man – just a fallible and sinful as the next guy.  I believe Sun Tzu (The Art of War) wrote that one of the biggest mistakes in war is underestimating your enemy.  Our enemy “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

This holds true for all believer, but I believe leaders are particularly prone to attack.

Guard yourselves.

Set boundaries.

Here are mine:

#1 – Honor our date night. – One of the fastest ways for a marriage to fall out of synchronization is neglect. We have found that the most rewarding times for us as a couple are the most difficult times to fit it in the schedule (or the budget). Date nights are for courting. I want my wife to feel as pursued today as she did when we were dating.

#2 – Never be alone with a member of the opposite sex. – This may seem extreme to some, but this is probably the most practical boundary we share. You avoid a host of potentially inappropriate situations when you eliminate even the innocuous ones. This includes counseling sessions as well. You can always include a third party in the discussion.

#3 – Never travel alone. – This may not be practical for everyone. I used to travel alone a lot in my business travels. The mind is a favorite target of the devil. I am susceptible to loneliness and depression when I am alone. A few years ago, Tabitha and I decided that this was a wise boundary to establish for us. I will not take trips where I will spend extended periods of time in isolation.

#4 – Be overly cautious with personal assistants. Spouse has final word. – Many if not most affairs occur with people who work closely together. I am more concerned with my wife being comfortable with a professional relationship than potentially offending someone else. She has the final say in those situations.

#5 – Practice and maintain a healthy biblical sex life. – Sex is not a weapon to be used as punishment or currency to persuade. Biblically speaking, it is a gift intended to be used within the confines of marriage to compliment the intimacy that exists in other areas. If you can’t be intimate about personal feelings, you probably can’t maintain healthy sexual intimacy in the relationship.

#6 – Practice “safe” personal touch. – This is a tricky one for me…mainly because I’m a hugger. I have grown more sensitive to this in recent years. Side hugs and appropriate handshakes can help avoid unintentionally sending a wrong signal.

I hope you have your own boundaries. I would love to hear your thoughts on these, or for you to share your own “personal” boundaries.