Handling A Crying Wife
IT is a universal fact that women cry more easily than men and this gets on the nerves of many husbands. Many do not know what to do with a crying wife. What many men can hardly tolerate is when the reason for the tears is too “minor” or looks childish. What some do is to walk out or “quarrel more” with words such as, “stop crying like a baby. Now tell me exactly why you are crying. Give me just two reasons why you are crying in the absence of which I will conclude that you are just shedding crocodile tears. Every little thing cry, cry, cry. You better grow up and stop behaving like a baby.” With words like these, the tears increase, coupled some- times with screams. When some husbands force themselves to hold their crying wives, they only do so physically and not emotionally with words like: “Okay, it is enough. I say it is enough. You are sill crying. You want neighbours to hear? I say it is enough.” I refer to these types of husbands as “miserable comforters.” Job 16:2. Every male (married and unmarried) should know that God wired man and woman differently. Some of the differences are genetic. For example, there is more water in the female blood than in the male blood, whereas the red blood cells (through which oxygen is supplied to the body) are more in the male than in the female. Women are emotionally more delicately wired than men and are supposed to be handled with care. They put almost all their emotions into everything they do or say, while men put more of their brains, until it may partly or fully get to the emotions. Love means so much to the normal woman. She gives out so much of it through carrying of pregnancy, baby care and cooking, among others. She, therefore, expects her “love tank” to be constantly refilled by her husband through sweet words, appreciation and tender care. They want attention and love attached to almost every issue at stake, tears can come at anytime, when they feel they are being deliberately denied of love and attention. Love is a very delicate thing. It is very tender and should be delicately handled, as far as the marriage arena is concerned. No wonder 1 peter
3:7 says, “likewise,yehusbandsdwellwiththemaccordingtoknowledge givinghonouruntothewife asuntoaweakervesseland heirstogetherofthegrace oflife,thatyourprayersbe nothindered.”
Take note of the phrases “according to knowledge” and “weaker vessel.” ‘Weaker vessel’ simply means delicate, tender, sensitive, etc. Just as the woman’s body is delicate, tender and sensi-