Proverbial Family: Foolish Feminism, Part 2

In Foolish Feminism, Part 1, I expressed how feminism started in a good place, yet today we’re seeing a shift in focus to the extreme with the claim that men and women are inheritly the same. Since they obviously aren’t, this is confusing our society and hurting families all around. The solution to this foolishness is to seek godly knowledge that defines the true created purpose and value of women.

People that have extreme feministic views tend to look at the Bible as a book of oppressing women. I disagree. And to look at God’s word with that perspective is to outright deny the knowledge He has given us about the special value of women. Any oppression of the worth and value of women is man-made not God-made, and we must be diligent not only to educate ourselves from a godly perspective, but also our sons and daughters to preserve familial roles and celebrate the specialness for which women were created. If you fear God and search His word to find knowledge, here’s what you’ll find:

• Women are created special (Gen. 1:27,31; 2:18-25) – God created the first man and saw it was not good for him to be alone so He created woman. Now, why didn’t God just create another man? Because the man didn’t need another man just like him; he needed a complement to help him where he was lacking. He needed a helper, and a woman was the perfect fit. If anyone is to feel inadequate by this story it should be the man who needed help. Yet, neither are and God saw that His special creation of a woman to enrich and complete the man was good.

• Women are leaders (Ruth 1:15-18; 2:11-12; 3:11; Esther 4-8) – You don’t need a title to be a leader, you just have to have influence and courage. Esther had this; Ruth had this; and so did many more women we can point to from the bible who were leaders. They expressed their leadership within the confines of obedience to God – trusting in His ways and working within His providence. Women have been an integral part of God’s plan and He makes that very clear when He honors them by sharing their brave stories.

• Women are praised (Luke 1:28; 10:38-42; Rom. 16:1-2) – “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you.” What a way for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to be praised! What man in scripture outside of Jesus has received this highest honor of words from the almighty God? Not many. And for Mary to receive them at a time when women were not held in high esteem in many non-Jewish societies shows God thought otherwise. And what about another Mary whom Jesus praises for neglecting her “womanly” duties to take the opportunity to hear His teaching? And Phoebe whom Paul praises for her work in the Lord? Sounds to me like these men saw the value and tremendous impact these women were making.

• Women are submissive but not less (1 Tim. 2:11-13; Eph. 5:22-24; Phil. 2:5-11; Gal. 3:26-29) – There are two instances in which God gives the command specifically to women to be submissive – in the church and in marriage – and He assures us this is necessary because of the order in which He planned and created things. However, never will you read of this making a woman any less than a man. In fact, willful submissiveness is highly exalted in scripture. Just look at Jesus who did the Father’s will by willingly submitting Himself to God and lowering Himself to the point of death on the cross. Was He any less? Certainly not! He has been highly exalted because of it. And even Paul said that in Christ, women are just as equal in their standing as an heir to the promises as any other faithful man. It’s obvious that God highly esteems every woman who willfully submits to His will for His purpose.

These are the things God says about women. These are the things we need to learn and continually remind ourselves of. These are the things we need to teach our sons and daughters to combat any degradation of women or foolish teachings. We don’t need to make men and women the same in fear that women will lose power and be suppressed by men. We need to find power in how God defines a woman’s purpose and value, and make that our mission to uphold in life. If we do, we will love knowledge and choose the fear of the Lord. If we don’t, we will suffer the consequences as the proverb says:

Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but they will not find me, because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:28-29

Prayer:
The God who values every soul He creates; as I examine Your word, I see that You have created men and women for special purposes, but none of that diminishes our standing before You or others. Women are created to complement men, to be leaders, to be esteemed, and to be submissive in certain aspects to carry out Your will. Thank you for the faithful women who have gone before us and exhibited godly character. May we teach these things to our sons and daughters so that they will have the proper mindset in honoring the specialness for which You created both male and female. Amen.

Truth in love,
Heather