The History of Concubines and Modern Parallels

Throughout history, women have sought love, commitment, and security in their relationships. In ancient times, society drew clear lines between women who were chosen as wives and those who were simply kept around—often referred to as concubines. These women were close enough to benefit a man’s life but never secure enough to be protected by covenant. They were valued for access, availability, and usefulness, but they were never truly prioritized.

In modern terms, these women are often called pick-me chicks, pickmeishas, or Barbara the Builder—women who help construct a man’s life, confidence, and success while neglecting their own security. They remain loyal, supportive, emotionally available, and sexually accessible, believing their sacrifice will eventually earn commitment. Too often, they later discover he never planned to choose them. This is not bad luck or something that “just happened.” It is the result of choices—choosing comfort, attachment, or short-term pleasure over God’s design and boundaries.

God’s way has always been clear. Intimacy, cohabitation, and shared life were meant to happen within the covenant of marriage. These boundaries exist because God loves us and knows what protects us, not because He wants to withhold anything good. The world encourages women to give wife-level access without commitment and calls it love or growth. God calls His people to live differently. Jesus says in John 14.15, “If you love Me, you will obey Me.” Many women who claim Christianity knowingly cross these boundaries, exercising free will while choosing relationships over obedience to God—and this is how the modern-day concubine is formed.

Even in biblical times, concubines had certain protections. A man was expected to care for them, and they had legal recognition—though still held a lower status than a wife. But their futures were always uncertain, entirely dependent on the man’s goodwill. Hagar, who bore Abraham a son, was eventually cast out. Bilhah and Zilpah bore children for Jacob but were never truly honored like his wives. Solomon had hundreds of concubines—part of his household, but not part of his heart.

Convenience Over Commitment in Modern Relationships

These women were there for convenience, not commitment. That same dynamic plays out in modern relationships. A woman may devote years to a man—giving him loyalty, emotional support, even intimacy—hoping one day he’ll choose her as his wife. But all too often, he never does. Not because she isn’t worthy, but because he was never planning to.

Modern relationships often blur lines. A woman might find herself doing everything a wife does—supporting him through hard times, helping financially, being emotionally available, sharing her body—without ever receiving a true commitment in return. She believes her loyalty will eventually be rewarded. That if she just proves her love, he’ll see her worth and decide to marry her. But the painful truth is, most men don’t need years to decide. When a man is serious about a woman, he makes his intentions clear. When he’s not, he delays, distracts, and avoids.

Comfortable, Not Confused

It’s not that he’s confused—it’s that he’s comfortable. He’s benefiting from the relationship, so he sees no reason to change it. Many men will gladly take the emotional support, sexual access, companionship, and even financial help without offering anything long-term in return. That’s not love. That’s selfishness. It’s using someone’s time and heart while keeping her in a holding pattern.

Sometimes a man will give a woman an engagement ring not out of genuine intention, but simply to quiet her questions about the relationship. When a woman is confused and keeps asking about marriage or commitment, he uses the ring to “shut her up” and stop the pressure—without actually planning to follow through. Most of the time, the engagement goes no further. If a wedding does happen, it is often because circumstances forced him into it, or because he failed elsewhere—not because he genuinely intended to commit.

Meanwhile, he continues living comfortably, benefiting from her loyalty, emotional support, and willingness to tolerate bad behavior in order to keep him. The woman believes she is securing love and stability, but in reality, she has been strung along and used for convenience. This is exactly the pattern God’s boundaries are meant to protect women from: giving your devotion before it is truly earned leaves your heart vulnerable and your life unprotected.

A man who doesn’t see you as “the one” from the beginning is unlikely to suddenly change his mind after years of taking what he wants. He already knows—you’re just not the one he’s planning to marry.

Signs You’re a Placeholder

If you’re unsure where your relationship stands, pay careful attention to these patterns. Each is a strong signal that you may be giving wife-level commitment while he’s giving you only convenience.

1. Years together, marriage is always “someday.” Men who really intend to marry rarely need multiple years to decide; most make up their minds within the first twelve months or so. When the timeline keeps sliding—finances, career, “not ready”—he’s comfortable, not confused.

2. You’re kept on the edge of his life, not in the center. A man who sees a future with you naturally weaves you into it. If you still haven’t met family or close friends, or you’re left out of meaningful decisions, he’s keeping emotional and social distance for a reason.

3. You do everything a wife does—without the title or security. Cooking, cleaning, sharing bills, late-night emotional support, sexual intimacy—yet no clear plan for marriage. That’s not partnership; it’s a one-sided arrangement where he enjoys the benefits while you carry the risk.

4. Serious talk about marriage makes him vague or defensive. When a man wants a woman as his wife, he can talk about it openly. If he diverts, jokes, or offers fuzzy promises with no dates or steps attached, take the dodge at face value: he isn’t planning what you are.

5. After leaving you, he marries someone else quickly. This stings, but it’s common. Commitment was never the obstacle; finding the person he wanted to commit to was. His sudden readiness shows he always knew what he was looking for—he simply didn’t see it with you.

Your Value and God’s Way

If these signs sound familiar, your relationship may lack real intent. Love yourself enough to step back and make room for a man who will move toward you with clarity, not excuses.

You can’t earn someone’s desire to commit. You can’t force a man to value you by giving more, sacrificing more, or waiting longer. The more you give without receiving commitment, the more you teach him that you’ll tolerate uncertainty.

While not every man who delays is acting with malicious intent, many do know they have no plan to marry—and still keep the relationship going because it benefits them. That’s selfish.

You deserve more than to be someone’s “good enough for now.” You deserve intentional love. If a man truly sees you as his future, he won’t string you along. He won’t leave you guessing. His actions will speak. He will introduce you to the people who matter. He’ll talk about the future with you in it. He will lead with clarity, not confusion.

God’s Design and Protection

This is not only an emotional issue; it is a spiritual one. God’s design for love and marriage has never changed. Deep emotional and physical intimacy was meant to exist within the covering of commitment. These boundaries are not about shame or restriction—they are about protection. When women step outside of God’s design, they often experience heartbreak instead of fulfillment.

God gives free will, but free will does not remove consequences. Choosing a man over obedience, elevating relationships above righteousness, and ignoring God’s commands while claiming Christianity leads many women into the role of modern-day concubines—not by accident, but by choice. Obedience is the evidence of love for God, and God’s way will always be better than the world’s way.

You are not a placeholder. You are not a convenience. You are not meant to audition for marriage through sacrifice and compromise. You are a woman of value—meant to be pursued with intention, loved with integrity, and honored through commitment. Trust God’s timing. Honor His boundaries. The right man will not require disobedience to keep him—he will recognize the blessing you are and treat you accordingly from the very beginning.

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** Photo by Philip Justin Mamelic at Pexels