The whole book is an interesting read, I recommend it to anyone who is less than impressed by societal views on relationships. Joshua Harris is great with analogies and this is one of the few that stuck in my brain:
"..As you keep reading, remember that God doesn't have a one-size-fits-all plan for relationships.
We all have very different lives - we vary in age, cultural background, and circumstances, to name just a few..
You might be asking, "How am I supposed to follow God's principles for courtship when my circumstances are so different from those of other people?" Let me try to explain.
Imagine that you're a student in an art class. You and dozens of classmates are learning from a master painter. One day your teacher displays a painting of his own. It's an incredible work of art, and he wants each of you to copy it.
You're about to begin working when you turn to look at the person next to you. You're surprised to note that he has a larger brush than you and a different kind of canvas. You look around at the rest of the class. Some students have acrylic paint, others watercolour, still others oil - and everyone is using different colours. Though you all have the same assignment, you each have completely different materials. This frustrates you. Some students have materials you would prefer yourself. Why should they get them?
You're not the only student to notice the disparity. A hand goes up to your left. A girl with only a ragged brush and three pale shades of blue on her palette is noticeably agitated. "This isn't fair," she tells the teacher. "How do you expect me to duplicate your painting when the people around me have so many colours to choose from?"
The teacher smiles. "Don't worry about the other students," he says. "I've carefully chosen brushes and paints for each of you. Trust me. You have what you need to complete the assignment. Remember, your goal is not to create a painting that mirrors the person next to you, but to do your best with the materials I've given you to replicate my painting."
..God isn't asking us to copy each other but to fix our eyes on our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.. We can rest in the knowledge that God is sovereign over our life's situation. No matter where we are today or what mistakes we've made in the past, He has given us everything we need to glorify Him right now." (Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris, Page 30)
I think this analogy is applicable to more areas in life than relationships. It could be applied to any situation, perhaps even the one you're in now.
