Equality of the Sexes
Men and women are created equal. We have different gifts, but neither set of gifts is more important than the other. So why are the successes of men praised and the successes of women in the home looked down upon? Sin.
In our sinful world, the unspiritual pursuit of success, money, and power mean more than the eternal goals of a quiet life, a close relationship with God, and raising children to love the Lord. Even typing it down, desiring money and power seems to 'make sense'. Wanting to live quietly and raise Godly children seems weak and pointless. It's something that 'anyone could do' (not true, but it sounds true) and wouldn't bring us individual glory.
Titus 2:11-12 - "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age"
Proverbs 28:22 - "A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him."
It's all about personal glory. Having your friends, neighbors, and strangers say, "Aren't you amazing. Aren't you smart. Aren't you important." Building up our pride through visible success makes us feel important, because we love the attention. But the attention doesn't bring happiness. There's a saying that football players who go pro have a disease brought on by wealth - cocaine addiction.
Proverbs 13:7 - "There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches."
Proverbs 13:10 - "By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom."
I John 2:15-17 - "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love fo the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."
The problem with feminism is that it seeks to elevate women to the same status hungry state that worldly men live in. They burn bras to prove that they won't be "held down". Feminism has some valid concerns with helping men to see that women are valuable, but they've never gone at it in a Godly way. In a Godly society women are valuable because we're created in the image of God. We reflect a portion of His glory.
Femininity recognizes the differences between the sexes and seeks to elevate women to the Godly role we're created to fulfill. Some women are supposed to make a difference in the secular work world. It isn't that we can't do it, but most women will feel more fulfilled when they let go of the "pride of life" and stop trying to be men.
Men and women have different gifts. We're created to show different aspects of God (which we'll discuss another day). When we try to fill each other's roles we end up tired and frustrated.
Again, I'm a wife, mother, small business owner, and over-achiever. I don't think women should stay barefoot and pregnant (unless they want to or God's calling them to it), and they shouldn't allow themselves to be treated like doormats.
Men and women are both necessary. Our emotional and spiritual gifts are unique, special, and necessary. We need to stop expecting men to be more "sensitive" and women to be more "successful".
As Dr. Laura Schlessinger loves to say, "Men want to go out and slay the dragon for their wives." Women want to be a beauty worth of saving and fighting for.
There's a reason for manly desires to struggle and capture. There's a reason for women to want to be physically beautiful. There's nothing stronger than Christian women who live as God wants them to. Together we WILL change the world for the Lord.
We just can't do it through our own strength. We can't strive and succeed without sacrificing everything we hold dear. Together we will learn what it means to be women of God.
With these devotions for Christian women, we're going to explore Pope John Paul's Theology of the Body with help from Christopher West and others. I'll be applying their thoughts and ideas to what it means to be a woman today.
In our sinful world, the unspiritual pursuit of success, money, and power mean more than the eternal goals of a quiet life, a close relationship with God, and raising children to love the Lord. Even typing it down, desiring money and power seems to 'make sense'. Wanting to live quietly and raise Godly children seems weak and pointless. It's something that 'anyone could do' (not true, but it sounds true) and wouldn't bring us individual glory.
Titus 2:11-12 - "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age"
Proverbs 28:22 - "A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him."
It's all about personal glory. Having your friends, neighbors, and strangers say, "Aren't you amazing. Aren't you smart. Aren't you important." Building up our pride through visible success makes us feel important, because we love the attention. But the attention doesn't bring happiness. There's a saying that football players who go pro have a disease brought on by wealth - cocaine addiction.
Proverbs 13:7 - "There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches."
Proverbs 13:10 - "By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom."
I John 2:15-17 - "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love fo the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."
The problem with feminism is that it seeks to elevate women to the same status hungry state that worldly men live in. They burn bras to prove that they won't be "held down". Feminism has some valid concerns with helping men to see that women are valuable, but they've never gone at it in a Godly way. In a Godly society women are valuable because we're created in the image of God. We reflect a portion of His glory.
Femininity recognizes the differences between the sexes and seeks to elevate women to the Godly role we're created to fulfill. Some women are supposed to make a difference in the secular work world. It isn't that we can't do it, but most women will feel more fulfilled when they let go of the "pride of life" and stop trying to be men.
Men and women have different gifts. We're created to show different aspects of God (which we'll discuss another day). When we try to fill each other's roles we end up tired and frustrated.
Again, I'm a wife, mother, small business owner, and over-achiever. I don't think women should stay barefoot and pregnant (unless they want to or God's calling them to it), and they shouldn't allow themselves to be treated like doormats.
Men and women are both necessary. Our emotional and spiritual gifts are unique, special, and necessary. We need to stop expecting men to be more "sensitive" and women to be more "successful".
As Dr. Laura Schlessinger loves to say, "Men want to go out and slay the dragon for their wives." Women want to be a beauty worth of saving and fighting for.
There's a reason for manly desires to struggle and capture. There's a reason for women to want to be physically beautiful. There's nothing stronger than Christian women who live as God wants them to. Together we WILL change the world for the Lord.
We just can't do it through our own strength. We can't strive and succeed without sacrificing everything we hold dear. Together we will learn what it means to be women of God.
With these devotions for Christian women, we're going to explore Pope John Paul's Theology of the Body with help from Christopher West and others. I'll be applying their thoughts and ideas to what it means to be a woman today.
posted by Terri | 12:07 PM
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