Why Did God Make Us So Different? - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - November 14
Crosswalk Couples Devotional
Audio By Carbonatix
By Gina Smith, Crosswalk.com
Why Did God Make Us So Different?
By: Gina Smith
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” - Genesis 1:26-27
She is emotion driven and feels everything very deeply. At times the way she feels can be all-consuming and she can’t move forward unless she is able to process everything out loud. She needs him to listen, to allow her to cry, to hear her heart.
He is very objective and compartmentalizes everything. If you will objectively tell him what you’re thinking, he will process it and help to fix things. Just don’t begin to cry. Don’t emote, because that’s when he will stop hearing what she has to say.
He can seem to be insensitive. She can seem to be over-emotional. Misunderstanding and conflict erupt.
Why did God make men and women to be so different? How is a marriage supposed to be successful when the way we are made is so opposite of each other?
God made us the way that we are for some very important reasons, reasons that reach far beyond marital success and individual happiness. With that in mind, I think that if we can come to some understanding of the “whys,” it will help us to see each other in a new light and will help us to love and appreciate each other in a deeper way. In the way God intended us to.
In Genesis 1:26-27 we read the following: “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
God was intentional when he made us the way that we are made. When he says he made us – male and female – in “our” image and after “our” likeness”, he means the Trinity. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. This means that when we look at each other and see all those qualities that make up who we are, we are actually seeing a glimpse of God the Father, as well as the Son, and the Holy Spirit!
God created us mindful of the relationship that he had with the Son and the Holy Spirit. He created us to work together, appreciating and benefitting from all the unique and different qualities we have to offer. This sets us apart from the animal kingdom and suggests a visible representation of God himself! How amazing is that?!
When a husband and wife begin to learn to look at each other with this in mind, they will begin seeing each other in the way God desires them to view each other, because they realize that they are actually getting a glimpse of what God is like.
We can value and appreciate the way our spouses are made and see each quality as a quality that God himself possesses. These qualities are meant to help us and point us to God.
When we become impatient with, or insensitive toward, each other, or we allow our emotions to control us, we see evidence of how these God-given reflections of himself can become altered by sin. Sadly, when that happens, our relationships can be hindered and we realize that in those moments, we are not accurately reflecting the image of God.
Our differences should point us to God and draw us closer to each other as he allows us to get to know him better. If we can work to see each other and how we are made as literally a snapshot of our Father, it will change the way in which we interact and treat each other.
And God will be glorified.
Related Resource: The Five Languages of Apology, with Dr. Gary Chapman
In this insightful episode, Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn sit down with Dr. Gary Chapman, renowned author of The Five Love Languages and The Five Languages of Apology. Together, they explore how understanding both love and apology languages can radically improve relationships. Dr. Chapman unpacks the five core ways people express and receive love—and explains how offering sincere, well-matched apologies can be just as vital to healing and connection. The conversation highlights the power of empathy, emotional communication, and forgiveness in maintaining strong, healthy relationships. Whether you're married, dating, or simply want to love others well, this episode offers powerful tools to deepen your relational bonds. Like what you hear? Be sure to follow I Wish You Could Hear This on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
