Romans 12:6-8: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”
We have a saying in our household, “Everyone’s different.” That helps in many different situations – From explaining why dad is great at listening and mom doesn’t seem to stop talking, why some people like to play sports and others are more musically inclined, and why some use their inside voice consistently and others are so loud earplugs are needed 24/7.
My husband and I fit into that mold too. There are many ways in which we are similar, but in other ways our differences complement each other. He is rational and thinks things through before making an informed, responsible decision. I am emotional and led by my heart. He grounds me and helps me see the big picture while I am caught up in the feelings and emotions of a situation.
That got me thinking about our unique approach to life and how I feel that men and women respond quite differently. I think for the most part, (not true for everyone), that women are great at multitasking. I know for myself that if I don’t have at least two or three things going at the same time, I can get bored. My brain was made to juggle multiple things. There is such a thing as sensory overload even for me, but overall, I can handle multiple crisis without breaking too much of a sweat. And, when I have a looming project to do, I would rather push through and get it all completed, and then I truly relax. If I quit in the middle, I continue to think about what’s left and worry until I have it completely finished.
In my opinion, men approach things differently. They work better focusing on one job at a time. And, they seem more able to take breaks in between, even stopping for the night, picking up where they left off the next day.
I think there are advantages to both ways of living life. I can handle the day-to-day little crises that naturally come up with children in the home. For me, balancing working from home, laundry, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping all with children helping or underfoot comes naturally. My husband, on the other hand, tackles a job and I have confidence that it has his undivided attention and will be completed well. It doesn’t take rocket science to fold laundry while listening to my daughter tell me about her day, but when constructing the fence for the garden, if the measurements are off, well…you get the picture.
We can both still learn from each other. My husband is teaching me that it’s okay to take breaks occasionally, starting again after I have renewed my batteries. And, I’m a good example to our kids about pushing through and finishing something before enjoying the reward.
What’s your style and how can you positively influence someone else?