It’s A Girl

I heard those words three times when a child was born. As each one came into this world, I had to wonder what the world would be like for them as a female. I’ll admit I was hoping for a boy at least one time in the bunch (I’ll reserve the option of telling you which one I’d trade at this point). Having a boy would have meant something different whether we want to admit it or not.

I was listening to John Gray talk about the stir he created in the psychological community when he came out with “Men Are from Mars, Women are from Venus.” There were and are a lot of people that want to tell you that boys and girls are just the same, with different plumbing. Let me tell you as an authority on the female gender – nothing could be further from the truth!

However, this brave new world we live in today is a much different place for my girls than it was for my wife, especially for my mom. One of the things that impressed me about our study of the Book of Ruth is how God set up laws and policies to help the widows and ladies who had no way to take care of themselves which meant two things:
1) that God loves everyone, especially those who have no one else, and 2) that women really were nothing without a man.

But the times, they are a changing. We had a woman running for President, and now we have a woman running for Vice President. Sarah Palin has been nominated by John McCain as his running mate. Most people are calling it a shrewd move – whether they like it or not.

So how would we feel about having a woman running the country?

As a father of daughters, I think that my views have changed about this over the years. I think my daughters could do a great job (especially the oldest, bossy one:).

What does this mean for the church? Ah, there is a better question. And one we’re constantly taking a new look at. Paul says that “In Christ there is not male or female." Galatians 3:28

But he also had some cultural implications for some of the churches. He told them that women couldn’t teach men, that they should cover their heads, not wear jewelry, etc. Most Christian groups have decided that some of those social systems are no longer applicable to our current situation. Some have decided that none of them are. And all of us are trying to figure out how the whole thing is supposed to work. I don’t know of a church leader that isn’t wrestling with the role women will play in the 21st century.

It will be interesting.

Tim

Comments

[Kevin Stone]

"How would we feel about having a woman running the country?"

It depends on who the woman is...

Margaret Thatcher? Fantastic!

Hillary Clinton? Yikes!

Sarah Palin? Give her a bit more experience and she'll be fine.

I was more than a little disappointed with my choices in November before Senator McCain nominated Governor Palin. Now I'm thrilled to vote for a pro-life, evangelical Christian who is far more in touch with "regular folks" than anyone in Washington.

[Paula]

Thanks for not writing us all off :)

Governor Palin was a strong and effective speaker tonight, and also a powerful witness for those who Believe...
with words like:

"the compassion that comes from powerlessness by the Grace of GOD"...

and "those who know how evil is overcome"

and...GOD BLESS AMERICA!

and we know GOD gave you all daughters for a reason now! :)

food for thought...my brother has girls too, but now he also has a
GRANDSON too :)

[A woman at Parkview]

Thank you first for bringing this topic up at all and second for admitting that you are struggling with it.

One thing I'm always amazed at is how often Paul's comments that seem to support slavery are ignored. He tells slaves to obey their masters as if slavery is okay. But no one today actually thinks slavery is okay. We point to Galatians 3:28 as the "real" command about this and understand that slavery was a cultural and economic institution in that day. Why can't we do that with women? Why can't we understand that women weren't as educated back then and of course shouldn't have been teaching? "In Christ there is no male or female" - that's a definitive statement. Why then do we waste so much time in churches qualifying it?

I think the problem is that we mix up God's commands for marriage with what's appropriate in the church, government, and business. God gives man the captain's hat in marriage. I don't have a problem with that particularly since I married a great man who would never ask me to submit to him just because he's a man. Of course, I do submit to him because God tells me to (not that it is easy) and I can see the fruit of it. But the Bible says to submit to the authorities he places over us, not just if they are male. Why churches always forget about Deborah? God made her a judge. She ruled over and taught men, God's chosen men at that.

I have so much more I could say about this topic but someone has said it better than I can and I'll just point you there:

http://julieclawson.com/

(The October 1st entry)