An Example of Setting Inner and Outer Boundary Lines

Let’s say you are a married man who has been sent on a business trip along with a female colleague we’ll call Sandy. The two of you will be staying in the same hotel. What boundary lines might you want to set up for yourself ahead of time?

First of all, you identify the innermost of the inner courts – the place that, should you ever find yourself there, you are already embroiled in moral disaster. In our example, we could say that the bed in Sandy’s hotel suite is such a place.

Never, under any circumstances, can you allow yourself to end up there!

But is that really a good place to establish your boundary? Suppose you escort Sandy to her room after a long day’s work, and she suggests you come in for a few minutes to discuss how you will handle the meetings scheduled for the next day. Is there anything wrong with just sitting at a table together to talk business strategy?

Remember the slippery slope! Just by being in a place where you are alone with Sandy (and perhaps can smell that alluring perfume she likes to wear), you may be just a slight push away from a downhill run you won’t be able to stop in time.
So, while the door to Sandy’s bedroom constitutes an inner court boundary you are totally committed to never crossing, you might also decide that being alone with her under any circumstances is an appropriate outer boundary. If you ever cross that line, nothing ruinous has happened yet, but you know you are on dangerous ground and need to be extremely careful. You should only cross that outer boundary line when it is absolutely necessary.
Michael Hyatt, former Chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, shared some of his outer court boundaries in a post on his leadership blog :

I will not go out to eat alone with someone of the opposite sex.

I will not travel alone with someone of the opposite sex.

I will not flirt with someone of the opposite sex.

I will speak often and lovingly of my wife.

(This is the best adultery repellant known to man.)

source http://tasboy.com/an-example-of-setting-inner-and-outer-boundary-lines-2/