Life Matters, October 13, 2021
"It is my observation and I may add, my experience, that Christian higher education, trodding happily along in the train of feminist crusaders, is willing and eager to treat the subject of feminism but gags on the word femininity:' - Elizabeth Elliott. Mere decades later, those of us who still appreciate the unique qualities inherent in the feminine and in the masculine genders are found to be gagging on the words abbreviated by LGBTQ.
"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life:' (Pro. 31:10-12) Then Proverbs 31 describes this woman being industrious and diligent in looking well to the ways of her household. The chapter then closes with this conclusion;"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates:' (The town council meeting place.)
I could write the above proverb about my wife of going on 40 years. Or our daughters of less years. But I'll spare you lest you think I'm prejudiced. (Webster's 1828 Diet.) Is my wife perfect? No, she isn't. Neither am I. Do my daughters have faults? They do. So do I. Forgiveness, as in all homes, is a necessary ingredient at our house, in our home. So perhaps I am prejudiced? But if I am, I would argue that I am rightfully and justifiably so. Rightfully because it is Biblical and justified because of their lives ... And besides, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you:' Amen? I think I am the grateful recipient of some prejudice myself ...
Whatever the case may be about prejudice and/or the jealousies that at times can seem to arise out of nowhere in relationships, God's order in Nature and by His Creation is marvelous and awe-inspiring in its scope and intrinsic detail. The marvel of a man being attracted to a woman and a woman being attracted to a man has inspired music and poetry, books, movies and portions of the Bible itself. The story of romance between a man and a woman has fascinated men and warmed the hearts of women since the dawning of time. God has designed love into the very fabric of our being.
The devil, however, is always in the business of taking a good design of God's and warping it into a grotesque malformity to fit his own agenda, which is to overtake purity and beauty with evil and deceit. All of us love to see a young man and a young woman deeply in love vowing to be faithful, "for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, till death do you part?," in saying, "I do." And I would venture to say that all of us who have been at the altar of"I do," really meant it. God has woven this beauty and purity into the very fabric of nature and He continues to bless and empower this relationship between one man and one woman. If any human relationship transcends the purity and beauty of a young man and a young woman, young, fresh and in youthful love, it is the mature connection of an old man and an old woman who have weathered the storms of life and are still deeply in love. It is this old, weathered and deep love that it seems the devil works overtime against. Did I say that forgiveness is a necessary ingredient of every home? It is. And it is needful that we are"soul mates,"not just"body mates:' And it is needful that our ultimate relationship, our ultimate connection, our ultimate satisfaction is with and in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we are complete in Him. It is this ultimate completeness in Christ that a husband and wife can exemplify best together.
Since the dawn of feminism the feminist movement has tried to divorce women from their traditional dependence upon men. Feeling degraded and dishonored, men are easily tempted to shirk responsibility when lacking completeness in Christ. The devil says, compete with each other; as God still says, complete each other. Relationships cannot continue to satisfy without being complete in Christ first. When we are"complete in Him;' (Jesus), then our spouse can make us feel "complete:' When he is masculine and she is feminine. In our heart of hearts, where it really matters. We don't live in a perfect world and when the better, the healthy and the richer gives way to the poorer, sick or worse in our personal lives, it is our completeness in Christ that upholds and enables us, whether young or old and by the grace of God, to fill our distinct and separate roles in life as we are able. Masculine men and feminine women complete this relationship as we depict Christ and the church. Life Matters!
"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” (Pro. 31:10-12) Then Proverbs 31 describes this woman being industrious and diligent in looking well to the ways of her household. The chapter then closes with this conclusion; "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates.” (The town council meeting place.)
I could write the above proverb about my wife of going on 40 years. Or our daughters of less years. But I'll spare you lest you think I'm prejudiced. (Webster's 1828 Diet.) Is my wife perfect? No, she isn't. Neither am I. Do my daughters have faults? They do. So do I. Forgiveness, as in all homes, is a necessary ingredient at our house, in our home. So perhaps I am prejudiced? But if I am, I would argue that I am rightfully and justifiably so. Rightfully, because it is Biblical and justified because of their lives ... And besides, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Amen? I think I am the grateful recipient of some prejudice myself ...
Whatever the case may be about prejudice and/or the jealousies that at times can seem to arise out of nowhere in relationships, God's order in Nature and by His Creation is marvelous and awe-inspiring in its scope and intrinsic detail. The marvel of a man being attracted to a woman and a woman being attracted to a man has inspired music and poetry, books, movies, and portions of the Bible itself. The story of romance between a man and a woman has fascinated men and warmed the hearts of women, since the dawning of time. God has designed love into the very fabric of our being.
The devil, however, is always in the business of taking a good design of God's and warping it into a grotesque malformity to fit his own agenda, which is to overtake purity and beauty with evil and deceit. All of us love to see a young man and a young woman deeply in love vowing to be faithful, "for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, till death do you part," in saying, "I do." And I would venture to say that all of us who have been at the altar of "I do," really meant it. God has woven this beauty and purity into the very fabric of nature and He continues to bless and empower this relationship between one man and one woman. If any human relationship transcends the purity and beauty of a young man and a young woman, young, fresh and in youthful love, it is the mature connection of an old man and an old woman who have weathered the storms of life and are still deeply in love. It is this old, weathered, and deep love that it seems the devil works overtime against. Did I say that forgiveness is a necessary ingredient of every home? It is. And it is needful that we are "soul mates," not just "body mates.” And it is needful that our ultimate relationship, our ultimate connection, our ultimate satisfaction is with and in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we are complete in Him. It is this ultimate completeness in Christ that a husband and wife can exemplify best together.
Since the dawn of feminism, the feminist movement has tried to divorce women from their traditional dependence upon men. Feeling degraded and dishonored, men are easily tempted to shirk responsibility when lacking completeness in Christ. The devil says, compete with each other; as God still says, complete each other. Relationships cannot continue to satisfy without being complete in Christ first. When we are "complete in Him” (Jesus), then our spouse can make us feel "complete.” When he is masculine and she is feminine. In our heart of hearts, where it really matters. We don't live in a perfect world and when the better, the healthy, and the richer gives way to the poorer, sick, or worse in our personal lives, it is our completeness in Christ that upholds and enables us, whether young or old and by the grace of God, to fill our distinct and separate roles in life as we are able. Masculine men and feminine women complete this relationship, as we depict Christ and the church. Life Matters!