This is a continuation. For Part 1, please click here. And for what some other wives have shared that they respect and admire about men, please click here.
3. What fascinates me about masculinity is –
- it is this rich, new, unexplored world ready to be discovered, appreciated, admired, loved, respected, and known for those women who are willing to approach things God’s way and who are curious in a humble, awe-struck way.
- the intricacies of the language of respect and all the unwritten rules and codes that men have with each other that most women know nothing about.
- that godly femininity has so much power to help godly masculinity blossom and grow into something even more amazing. What POWER (through His Spirit) God has given to us as women to be His partners in helping to create heroes from regular guys.
- how visual men are – how great they are with spacial concepts. I would love to be able to see with their eyes for a day and see how very different the world would look!
- how good men are with hand-eye coordination – that talent amazes me!
- that their perspective is almost completely the opposite of our perspective as women – and that getting to know men forces us as women to stretch and grow in our faith and understanding of the world.
- discovering how genuine respect, honor, admiration and praise motivate men.
- that inborn drive to sacrifice self for the good of others, even when there is great personal cost involved.
- realizing that they have deep emotions, feelings, fears, and needs – and that when we obey God and are the women God desires us to be – God can use us to touch those deepest places in their hearts and souls to bring healing, life and inspiration to men.
- the way that men respond to respect by desiring to serve and honor the one who gives them respect.
- that tension between being so powerful, strong and able to fight – yet at the same time gentle and loving with the women they adore and with their children – what an incredible combination!
- their unique brand of wisdom, the way they can cut to the chase and see what is important in the big picture.
- how the greater the contrast there is between masculinity and femininity – the greater the attraction.
- that drive to provide for their wives and families financially.
- the desire they have to bring joy and delight to their woman.
- the drive to protect those who are weaker than they are – especially women and children.
4. Masculinity helps me to understand God’s nature better by showing me –
- God is so much bigger, wiser and more powerful than I am. I am reminded of that when I see how tall, big, and strong my husband is compared to my frame.
- That I can find shelter in God’s strong arms even more than I can find safety and shelter in my husband’s arms.
- That God sees the big picture and isn’t distracted by emotions or details like I can be.
- God’s time table is longer than mine, many times. So is my husband’s. But that is a good thing. I was so impatient before. Now God is teaching me patience and to enjoy and savor the waiting and to use that waiting time to learn as much as I can and to enjoy being with God and my husband – to enjoy the journey and not be all about the destination.
- the attributes of God – that He is LOVE, but that He is also JUST. That He is attentive, gentle and kind – but that He also has wrath.
- to come before God with fear, trembling and reverence – acknowledging that He is so much mightier and stronger than I am.
- that my husband (and men) are SO different from me! I can’t assume that they think and feel like I do. I can’t assume I automatically understand their thinking. I can’t assume evil motives because I think they should be just like me. They are NOT like me. God is NOT like me. He doesn’t think like me, either. His wisdom is vastly above my own. Just like I must study men to learn how they think and what their needs are, I must study God and learn more about Him, His character, His attributes and how to approach Him with respect in the ways He decides I must approach Him.
- My perspective is not the only way of looking at things – and may not even be the most accurate way!
- Men are visual. I believe that is because God is also very visual – He is always watching us. It is interesting to me that women are more about words and their man’s masculine presence. That is also what the church uses to draw near to Christ. We can’t see Him. He sees us. But we can read His Words and listen to His Spirit and draw near to His holy presence.
- How the intimacy of the one flesh relationship in marriage is a picture of the intimacy and oneness God longs to have with us spiritually in worship.