Man and Woman, Partners in Life
Some time ago I was rummaging through some very old magazines and saw how women were depicted: taking care of everyday household needs, reading stories and playing with the children, providing a respectable and decent home for her family. Today’s advertised woman is shown in a different light: a CEO with a brief case sailing down a crowded street, a senator giving a speech, a scientist researching the cure for cancer.
It's amazing to see how our society has changed the woman’s role, but God’s Word does not change in His description. It embraces both the home caregiving and the entrepreneurial gifts of a virtuous woman. Proverbs 31:10-31 describes this godly woman as one who cares for her family and respects her husband, as one who speaks with wisdom and kindness, and as one who holds businesses and makes financial decisions.
The same is true for the man. Years ago, the man was depicted as the only “breadwinner”, the head of the household who works all day to come home to a hot meal, the one who makes all decisions. Today, men are shown to have a more active role in the family dynamic, ones who help in the household chores, ones who involve their wives in family and life decisions.
As with a virtuous woman, God’s description of a faithful man embraces both and are given throughout the Bible. A godly man loves his wife and will give his life for her (Eph. 5:25, 33); he provides for his family (Prov 13:22); he pursues faith, love, patience, and gentleness (1 Tim. 6:11); he is the head of the household yet includes his wife as his helper (Gen. 2:18, 1 Cor. 11:3).
God created man and woman to be partners in life (Gen. 1:27); one is not better or greater than the other. “However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God” (1 Corinthians 11:11-12). My prayer is that we embrace each other with love, grace, and respect for who they are in Christ.
It's amazing to see how our society has changed the woman’s role, but God’s Word does not change in His description. It embraces both the home caregiving and the entrepreneurial gifts of a virtuous woman. Proverbs 31:10-31 describes this godly woman as one who cares for her family and respects her husband, as one who speaks with wisdom and kindness, and as one who holds businesses and makes financial decisions.
The same is true for the man. Years ago, the man was depicted as the only “breadwinner”, the head of the household who works all day to come home to a hot meal, the one who makes all decisions. Today, men are shown to have a more active role in the family dynamic, ones who help in the household chores, ones who involve their wives in family and life decisions.
As with a virtuous woman, God’s description of a faithful man embraces both and are given throughout the Bible. A godly man loves his wife and will give his life for her (Eph. 5:25, 33); he provides for his family (Prov 13:22); he pursues faith, love, patience, and gentleness (1 Tim. 6:11); he is the head of the household yet includes his wife as his helper (Gen. 2:18, 1 Cor. 11:3).
God created man and woman to be partners in life (Gen. 1:27); one is not better or greater than the other. “However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God” (1 Corinthians 11:11-12). My prayer is that we embrace each other with love, grace, and respect for who they are in Christ.