HOLIER THAN THOU...

Hey Nikki G!
I have a boyfriend that I love very much. Not to long ago he starting getting into church, got baptized, and has started changing.  He's getting on my nerves now! Now he's always talking about God ,quoting scripture, and trying to tell me about the changes I need to make in my life.  We can't even have friends over without him trying to preach to them and judge them.  We used to have fun together, but now he irritates me.  I am a Christian and have been saved for years now, but I don't feel the need to always be talking about it, like he does.  I love him but I'm starting to feel like this is not the real him, and it's pushing me away.  I don't want to say anything to him because I don't want him to feel like I don't support him.  Should I just ignore it?



First let me apologize for not answering right away, I intentionally saved this letter for today, I thought it would be a good Sunday morning topic. No you should not ignore your feelings.  People change everyday, the hardest thing about being in a marriage or long term relationship is being able to deal with these changes, and grow with your partner. Change and growth are inevitable, you're either going to adapt and grow with each other, or one of you will outgrow the other. Luckily the change in your boyfriend is a positive one.  Keep in mind that being saved and becoming a true believer is a life changing experience, and people deal with it in different ways, your experience might have been different from his.  It sounds like he is excited about his new found belief, it's new to him so it might get on your nerves at first, however when you feel like he may be passing judgement on someone, you should remind him that his duty as a Christian is to serve not judge.  It's ok to express to him how you're feeling, as long as you do it in a way that doesn't make him feel like you're attacking him and his faith.  Just kindly mention that people don't like to always be preached at, let him know that that's not the way to encourage people to change.  Tell him that it's ok to offer his testimony, and that people will see the changes in him and the ways that he has been blessed because of his faith, and THAT is what will bring others to God.  If you tell him that certain things he does makes you uncomfortable, he might take it down a notch.  Also remember that if you truely love him, you will not only love who he was, but also who he is, and who he will become.