Have you hugged your wife today?

Men and women are clearly made differently; that was Gods design and it obviously had a purpose. For a man, marriage is a conquest. The real fun is during the girl-boy relationship as the man is trying to get this woman to say yes and to agree to marriage. For the woman, fun actually begins after marriage and not before. For the man, once the woman is in the house, so to speak, well, she is in the bag; she is a conquered castle and can be quite boring. There is no risk factor any more, no challenge and therefore no excitement.

That explains why men who do not know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour are strongly tempted to go out of the home to look for new adventures and new mountains to conquer. It is therefore incumbent upon women to ensure that they remain exciting to their men and try and avoid falling into rut or becoming slovenly or untidy. It is equally important for the man to ensure that he forsakes all others and cleaves to his wife till death do us part.

Another interesting difference is that whereas men are usually able to separate home from work, women always carry their home everywhere they go, including to work. In other words, men are better at compartmentalising their lives than women. Women love to talk about their home situation at work, as well as their work situation at home.

An insensitive man may fail to understand this difference and assume that his wife is either boring or is happier at work than at home. This is not necessarily the case. What is worse is when one spouse fails to appreciate the others experiences at work when they are shared. This can strain relationships to a dangerous level. It is wonderful to share both work and home experiences, however boring. That way we are better able to appreciate and love one another.

Physically, women love to be touched on a regular basis. This restores their emotional stability and gives them a sense of security that they are loved by their spouse. The touch does not even have to be sexual at all. It is often a non-verbal way of simply saying to your partner You are special tome. Men are less bothered about the touch for emotional or relational purposes.

To a woman, every little touch is loaded with meaning; it is a statement, and she will know what it means. A man could actually find it cumbersome to be touched unnecessarily except when the touch is directed towards a romantic setting or encounter. This difference needs to be well understood by married couples because it has the real potential to cement marital relationships when it is well managed and appreciated.

Studies indicate that a normal woman needs to be touched, at least twelve times per day in order for her to remain emotionally stable. Have you touched your wife today?

Gods justice is portrayed in the man, while Gods love is portrayed in the woman. This is significant particularly in relation to the bringing up of children. When a child has misbehaved, it is the fathers role to apply measures of disciplining the child, while the mothers role will be to soothe the child and comfort him or her without placing the father under condemnation. A wise couple will work together as a team to ensure that the child is disciplined in love, and so both the justice of God and the love of God are applied to the child.