Let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. Ephesians 5:33 (AMPC)
God made men and women uniquely different. We complement each other perfectly, but these complementary differences mean we need to stretch ourselves to understand one another.
Today we will cover three common needs within a man:
- Admiration. Critical statements demoralize him and make him withdraw from the relationship but his confidence soars when you communicate admiration.
- Autonomy. Most men need to retain a sense of independence and have an opportunity to think, focus and problem solve. They need to be able to go into their “cave,” a place that doesn’t involve talking or receiving advice on possible solutions.
- Shared activities. Golf or going out to watch a baseball game may not be a woman’s idea of fun, but taking part in these activities builds intimacy with him. Intimacy for women is often based on talking, whereas with men it often involves activity. When you do something with him, he feels important to you.
There are always exceptions to the rule, but these three simple needs are common to most men. Whether you are a man or woman, you can learn from these—either to know yourself better or to know the men in your life.