Is he Mr. Right or Mr. Wrong - part 1

You’ve heard opposites attract. Let’s say you’ve fallen in love with someone who is your opposite. Is he Mr. Right or Mr. Wrong? Depends on your definition of “opposite.” Are you opposite in nature or in nurture? This is part 1 of a three part series. This post will describe what it means to be opposite in nature.

Opposite how – in nature or in nurture?

There are two ways to consider a person who’s your opposite. Are they opposite from you in nature or in nurture? Does their heredity differ from yours, or does their environment differ? These are two very different questions.

Opposite in nature or heredity

Our nature is also known as our temperament. It’s who God created us to be. From the time babies are tiny infants, their temperaments are obvious. If you have more than one child, or you have more than one sibling you know that two children born of the same parents, living in the same house, eating the same food, wearing the same clothes and sleeping in the same crib can be nothing alike. That’s because we are all unique. None of us has exactly the same nature as anyone else.

Our nature is inborn. It’s how we look at the world around us. Are we introverts or extroverts? Are we optimistic or pessimistic? Do we see the big picture or the details? Are we relationship-oriented or accomplishment oriented?

Mr. Right should be opposite you in nature

If you’re opposite in nature – he just may be Mr. Right. I believe we are drawn to our opposites in nature by God. One opposite tempers the other. Since we are all unique, you truly could never find anyone exactly like you in nature.

An introvert needs an extrovert to get out and meet people and have friends. An extrovert needs an introvert to take time to recharge.
An optimist needs a pessimist to temper the tendency to be naïve. A pessimist needs an optimist to see that there is a solution to every problem.
A big picture person needs a detail oriented person so the big ideas actually get done. A detail oriented person needs a big picture person to understand where the details are taking them.
A relationship-oriented person needs an accomplishment-oriented person so they can actually accomplish something. And an accomplishment-oriented person needs a relationship-oriented person so they don’t steamroll others.

Prepare & Enrich

Have you ever wondered if you married Mr. Wrong? If you have opposite natures, he just might be Mr. Right. But maybe you haven’t recognized his differences for the blessing they can be. There is a great tool available to help you change your perspective.

If you’re dating someone who is opposite from you in nature and are wondering if this is your Mr. Right, the tool below is also helpful for you.

We mentor couples at our church, and one of the tools we use is the assessment known as Prepare & Enrich. P & E is a customizable assessment for pre-married and married couples. The areas of customization include parenting issues, faith-based issues, season of life issues, and issues from your past.

There are many benefits in taking a P & E assessment.

A confidential, easy, online way to assess your relationship
A customized and personally relevant report
An opportunity to explore your relationship more deeply
Recommended exercises meant to increase relationship skills
Identify relationship strengths and growth areas
New skills to apply to current and future issues in your relationship

Visit the Prepare & Enrich website for more information. You can find a facilitator near you to help you get started. I don’t receive a commission for recommending this assessment. I just really believe it could transform your thinking about “Mr. Wrong.”

…because U count, deb

Photo credit: Iain Heath via Compfight

Is he Mr. Right or Mr. Wrong, part 2

Is he Mr. Right or Mr. Wrong, part 3