Marriage

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Young men, or men of all ages, I Peter 3:7 tells us to "live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered."

There is a lot in this verse, but I am going to focus on just one aspect. What does it mean to understand your wife?

You must realize, first of all, that women have a different emotional makeup than men. They predominately use a different side of their brain and are more emotional. This means you need to be sensitive to how they feel about things.

Listening is a big part of understanding your wife. Sometimes wives just want a listening ear; they are not necessarily expecting you to be "Mr. Fix-it." This means giving careful attention to what your wife is saying, both verbally and in body language, without interrupting.

Understanding your wife means to be aware of things in her past that may be unresolved issues and hurts.

Another element here is to realize that your wife is not less than you, just different. Her opinions matter. Women see issues from a different perspective than men.

These four things are not an interpretation of this verse but rather insights from over 30 years of marriage. Understanding your wife is an ingredient of a successful marriage. Notice how important it is in God's eyes. This verse says we need to do this "so that your prayers may not be hindered."

Emotional connection and understanding is also important for a strong and meaningful physical and sexually intimate relationship.

So men, let's all seek to understand our wives!

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