Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passer-by (Proverbs 26:10).

Greg jabbed his elbow at Jason and gestured across the crowded club.  His finger and thumb formed a loose pistol, which he aimed at a young woman standing by the entrance to the club.  "What about that one?" he said.  He pulled his finger-pistol up to eye level, squinted his eyes, and lined up his shot.  "Her.  The blonde with the black tank-top."

Jason smiled and nodded.  "Yeah, man," he said.  "Totally.  Go for it."  He knew that Greg generally went for blondes, and the woman standing by the doorway seemed to be otherwise unaccompanied.  He laughed as his friend made a show of holstering his finger-pistol in his belt and started to saunter across the club like it was an old-time Western saloon...

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It's a little bit out of context, to compare the scenario described above -- my attempt at depicting a contemporary dating scene -- to Proverbs 26:10, which speaks of the danger in someone hiring a fool or any random passer-by.  But think about it:  Doesn't the contemporary dating scene bear some remarkable similarities to this situation?!?  So many people choose their dating prospects from across the room, without ever really having the chance to observe a person's character.  That is:  when people talk about "their type," they're generally talking about someone's hair color, or the build of that person's body, or the type of clothes that he or she wears.  But how effective is this at gauging the true stuff of relationships, really?  Does it actually help to identify potential partners -- or is it like an archer who wounds at random, picking a face out of a crowd to "pick up" and explore relational possibilities?

If the Proverbs tell us that we're not supposed to be so casual about our business relationships, then it would certainly seem logical to me that we're not supposed to be so casual (or even more casual!) about our long-term, love interests either!  If it's important to select employees carefully and knowledgeably, then wouldn't it stand to reason that it's also important to select boyfriends or girlfriends carefully and knowledgeably -- not just at random, based upon an impression made from across the room.

Maybe I'm totally missing the point on this Proverb.  But it's worth considering.  We all like the idea of Cupid shooting his little arrows of love -- establishing love-at-first-sight -- but if he's just going postal and shooting up the town, it seems like we might do better to duck than to wait for the sting of the arrow.