Devotionals by FamilyLife

I Discovered My Wife’s Biggest Turn-On
By Jim Mitchell

I finally discovered my wife’s biggest turn-on.

We were in the kitchen. She was staring right at it … that little green light on the dishwasher.

Now, to explain, before this, I must confess I’d never been a fan of Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages.

The book’s premise, as you may know, is that every person is wired by God to experience love primarily in one of five ways: affirming words, acts of service, tangible gifts, quality time, or physical touch.

Initially, the whole concept felt contrived, some therapeutic categories more than biblical wisdom. I wasn’t buying it.

That is, until that moment in the kitchen, a green twinkle in my wife’s eyes, and the soothing “swoosh” of a rinse cycle.

Which I’d never recognized as all that delightful. Then again, I haven’t really made a habit of doing the dishes very often.

But to the clean kitchen surprise and to the heart behind it, her reaction was magical. Foreplay, her way. A green light to love.

It was exactly what The 5 Love Languages tried to tell me. Sometimes love is more verb than vibe.

Thank you, Gary Chapman. And you’re welcome, marriage.

But how do love languages look different in a blended family? Listen to Ron Deal’s convo with Gary Chapman.

The Good Stuff: Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:18)

Action Points: Affirming words, acts of service, tangible gifts, quality time, and physical touch. Which does your spouse crave the most?

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