As a lawyer, I spend most of my day behind a desk, working on a computer. I have a great job, and I enjoy what I do. It's intellectually challenging, ethically sound (as a corporate lawyer, I negotiate deals, so deceit and stumbling blocks aren't really issues), and God grants me generous provision through it. I have opportunities for the Gospel, both in Word and in action, and I even have solid fellowship in my workplace. All in all, it's probably pretty close to my dream job.
Despite all of this -- or perhaps because of it -- there are few things as satisfying to me as an honest day of manual labor.
There's something about picking stuff up, and moving it around, and exerting yourself to the point of breaking a sweat and even exhaustion by the end of the day, that just feels very... primal, I suppose. It gets the blood pumping and the adrenaline rushing and the testosterone flowing, and suddenly the colors of God's creation are sharper, and more vivid. In fact, all of your senses are more acute, and few things feel as good as that rest break, or taste as sweet as a long draught of water.
On top of that general satisfaction with the labor itself, how much more of a joy is it when you're laboring for the Kingdom? What a privilege, to be able to help out at the church, and to help a sister in the midst of moving. After all, Southern California is a pretty transient place, and in a ministry of 75+ people, folks are moving all the time.
And yet it's this type of activity, as much as I enjoy it, that really strikes home to me how much I now value sisters who live at home. There's just something that feels a little bit off, a little bit sad, a little bit... wrong, I suppose, about working professional women -- even Christian ones -- who are constantly moving from place to place, living on their own, setting up their own households, and basically fostering and encouraging an independence that can sometimes lead to bad habits and an exceedingly "at risk" environment.
Oh sure, I understand and acknowledge that for some, it's hard to avoid. I know some sisters whose parents aren't Christians, who expect (or even insist) that their daughters will pursue careers and leave the nest. In fact, I even know some sisters whose parents ARE Christians, who still have this expectation, or even insistence. In other cases, there are issues of abuse, or bereavement. And perhaps there are other extenuating circumstances.
But by and large? I appreciate so much the faithful daughters who choose to live at home, and the faithful parents who strive so hard to create an environment of love, and protection, and God-centered holiness, so that their children can be brought up in the fear of the Lord.
Hmm. Quite the digression, from manual labor to faithful daughters. I guess I'll leave it. One interesting thing about blogging is that I'm finding it to be quite the stream of consciousness, sometimes...
Luke 10:7 - ...for the labourer is worthy of his hire...
Matthew 6:19-21 - Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
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"There's just something that feels a little bit off, a little bit sad, a little bit... wrong, I suppose, about working professional women -- even Christian ones -- who are constantly moving from place to place, living on their own, setting up their own households, and basically fostering and encouraging an independence that can sometimes lead to bad habits and an exceedingly "at risk" environment."So, are you against women being independent in general? Do you think dependence on another or specifically, a man, to be the "godly" design of a woman?
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded that the Word of God tells us "who are you to judge another man's (Jesus) servant? To his own master (Jesus) he stands or falls. Yes, he (or she) shall be held up: for God is able to make him (or her) stand". - Rom. 14:4
Perhaps your rigidly defined rules for dress and "roles" for half of the Body of Christ are not as biblically based as you suppose, but are based in cultural and personal preferences.
"that can sometimes lead to bad habits and an exceedingly "at risk" environment.""This is your opinion, and that's fine, but what makes your claim about women being independent, setting up their own households, that it being "wrong" a biblically sound teaching?
Hello Kathleen, thank you for your comment. I'm not really sure what you mean by "your rigidly defined rules," but when it comes to culture vs. Scripture, I am for Scripture all the way. From my perspective, it is actually our modern culture which has led many away from Scripture. Scripture is really quite clear as to a number of gender roles, yet even the very notion that certain gender roles exist at all can be a very hard thing for some people in modern society to stomach.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking generally, I think our modern society, with all of its chaos and urbanization and culture, makes it quite a challenge for us to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty per 1 Tim. 2:2. And it makes it hard for men to be alert, and stand firm, and act like men, and be strong, per 1 Cor. 16:13. And it makes it hard for women to have quiet and gentle spirits, per 1 Pet. 3:4. And one of our biggest challenges today is to persevere and strive to live according to the Word even DESPITE our modern culture.
Regarding opinions, of course when I say that something "feels" a certain way to me, I am providing an opinion, and not stating a Scriptural truth (especially since I'm not exactly shy about quoting Scripture). Indeed, in my very next paragraph after the one you quoted, I clearly state that there are certain valid reasons for situations like this to occur.
All that said, based on my reading of Scripture, there is a safer and wiser path, and a dangerous and at times even foolish path. For men who are called to marriage, Scripture indicates we should be loving and sacrificial even to the point of death, per Eph. 5:25, among others. It is dangerous and foolish for any man to believe that he will just magically develop those traits after marriage. Instead, he should be training himself up in love and sacrifice even before marriage.
Similarly, for women who are called to marriage, Scripture indicates they should be submissive, and helpmates, per Eph. 5:22-24 and Gen. 2:18, among others. It is also dangerous and foolish for any woman to believe that she will just magically develop those traits after marriage. Instead, she should be training herself up in submission and helping even before marriage.
How men and women accomplish this training is a more specific application point that I don't doubt will differ somewhat, from person to person. Still, if those people are striving to follow Scripture out of a heart motive to love and honor the Lord, then regardless of how they get there, the end goal will be the same, sanctification and ultimately glorification.
Good comments, Pastor Layman.
ReplyDeleteI think that Kathleen is expressing a kind of unbiblical, false assumption. Yes, the world often gives the idea that men are independent and women dependent on them. The feminist movement has tried to free women from dependence on men so that they, too, can be independent.
Even the early feminists, who called themselves Christians, had this worldview. Men were independent, and women needed to be independent like men.
However, the Bible does not present men as independent.
Adam was not independent for even a day. Eve was created for him on the same creation day that he was formed from the dust of the ground and God breathed life into him.
The idea that men are independent and that women should be independent like them is a false one, a myth, since men and women are not made to live independent lives.
Our roles are different, but neither the man nor the woman should be thinking of themselves as independent human beings. That is a worldly way of thinking, and if I may say so, satanic. It was Satan who wanted to live independently of His Creator, setting up his own counter kingdom.
Here is what Paul says.:
Corinthians 11
8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;
9neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
10For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head.
11In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
12For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
Kathleen said:
ReplyDeletePerhaps your rigidly defined rules for dress and "roles" for half of the Body of Christ are not as biblically based as you suppose, but are based in cultural and personal preferences.>>>.
I'm not picking on you, Kathleen. You have a right to your sincerely held religious beliefs.
However, allow me to make a comment about culture. I have had extensive cross-cultural experience.
I can say without hesitation that the norm worldwide, in all civilized cultures and some that would not be considered completely civilized is that men and women have clearly defined roles and their dress and hairstyles show whether or not they are male or female.
I can tell you that rules for dress distinctions and roles between men and women are much more rigid in most cultures than they are in our culture. We are the exception to the rule.
Where have you been, Kathleen, that you have seen a breakdown in rigid rules for roles and dress between men and women?
I have seen it in large segments of my own culture, during my own lifetime, as radicalism has gained more and more influence in our culture.
Where have you seen it?
Mrs. Webfoot