Page 31 - Family Life Student Textbook

Study Section 6: Our Natural Differences and Weaknesses
Hinder Intimacy

6.1 Connect

I’ve heard over and over again a husband say, “The woman I married is not the same person as the
woman I dated!” Have you ever heard the saying, “The honeymoon is over!” What both
comments express is that a husband, or wife, is finding out that what they thought they knew
about their mate before marriage was so incomplete. After a few weeks together, challenges arise in the
marriage. They find that their mate thinks differently than they do.

Because it is so important to deal with our differences and weaknesses between men and women in a
positive way rather than allowing ourselves to become bitter and retaliatory, we need to understand these
differences and how to accept each other despite our differences. It will help us if we can understand why
the other person thinks and acts the way they do.

6.2 Objectives
1. The student should be able to understand the general differences between men and women.

2. The student should be able to describe how the opposite sex thinks, feels, and reacts, the easier it
will be for us to understand our mate and support them rather than resist them.

3. The student should be able to learn more about the general characteristics of men and the general
characteristics of women.

6.3 Our Natural Differences and Weaknesses hinder Intimacy
As we begin this section, we need to reemphasize the fact that every person is a unique
individual. When we talk about characteristics of men and characteristics of women, we're
doing so in a generalized way. Your husband, or husband-to-be, is unique. Your wife, or wife-to-
be, is unique. They may not fully match these generalized characteristics. But understanding
these general characteristics will help us understand a person of the opposite sex. And
understanding them better will help us to accept their unique characteristics.

As men and women, we are naturally different in gender, physical attributes, perspectives, temperaments,
backgrounds, interests, and rolls. While our current culture tries to deemphasize these differences, God
created Adam and Eve differently so that they could complement one another.

Differences are God’s means of helping us complete each other. If we were to think alike, one of us would
not be needed. We need someone in our relationship with strengths that we don't have. And we need to
realize that I have weaknesses that my mate does not have.

Differences help keep the relationship balanced. If both of us are alike, our relationship will not be balanced.
If both of us are very quiet, we will not have many relationships with people outside of our marriage. If both
of us like to spend money, we will not have any savings and we will run out of money.

So, God created us with differences for the purpose of helping our relationship to be more balanced.

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