Month: January 2021

Ever wondered if there was a worldview that gives men and women equal worth?
Well then, the Christian faith and the God of the Bible is possibly the answer you are looking for.

God created man (male and female) in His image. (Genesis 1:27) This gives equal worth to man and woman. One is no greater or lesser a creation of God than the other. Being created in the image or likeness of God does not mean that God is in human form, but rather, that humans are in the image of God in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual nature. Humans differ from all other creatures because of their rational structure. These character traits are deposited in men and women – the compassion of a father, the love of a mother, the care of an elder sister/brother, the possessiveness of a partner and so on.

But despite being made in the image of God, women often have this question bothering them- why does God let them go through pain and suffering?

Some kinds of pain are inevitable in every woman’s life. The pain of menstrual cycle, pain of childbirth, in the Indian culture the fact that women are expected to give a lumpsum amount as dowry to get married, lesser education when compared to a male in the family, paternal mindset of limiting opportunities for a girl child and the list goes on. So, as a woman it is reasonable to think of God as someone who does not understand the physical and emotional pain of a woman. However, the Bible shows a God who has a different standpoint on all these.

“God understands suffering because Jesus Himself suffered on the cross the most gruesome death for us. (Isaiah 53:4-7) And so He can empathize with those who suffer. He is not a God who does not understand the sufferings of mankind nor is He ignorant of it. (Hebrews 4:15) God does not necessarily end the suffering but gives more strength and grace to endure it so that one can come through it as a better version of oneself and in doing so reflect the image of God in their lives. Romans 5:3-4 tells us that through suffering and perseverance, character and hope is built. When a woman goes through the pain of childbirth, she develops a special bond of love despite the sufferings she endured. Even though pain was involved in the process the result is blissful and develops in the mother a sacrificial love for the child she bore. This is a glimpse of the love of God that He showed when He let His Son die for the sins of mankind. Even though we falter and fail time and again, God forgives us and continues to love us because of the pain and suffering that was involved in restoring us back to Him as His sons and daughters by the sacrifice of Jesus.”

Two instances from the bible where Jesus love and compassion towards the pain and suffering of a woman-

• We see that at the cross Jesus told His disciple, John, to take care of His mother- Mary. (John 19:27) Even on the cross Jesus was mindful of the mother who bore Him. He made sure that she was taken care of in her old age. This shows the filial love of Jesus – how He cared for His aged mother, who was mostly a widow by then.
• We also see how Jesus heals a woman who was suffering from bleeding for 12 years (Mathew 9:20-22). They were considered unclean in that society and any one whom they touch was also considered unclean. But Jesus honors her faith and heals her completely. No person/physical condition is unclean for Him. We see in some religions that women are not allowed to enter places of worship during their period. But Jesus does not condemn anyone as unclean. He accepts us in whatever condition we might be in. He is waiting for us to come to Him just as we are. ( Matthew 11:28-29)

There is no pain that is beyond the knowledge of God. He made us and He knows our weaknesses.
So, if you think you are weak then God’s grace is sufficient. Where you lack, there His provision will be abundant. For His power is made perfect in your weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, James 4:6)

Below is a poem written by Annie Flint, who as a young girl lost her mother during the birth of her baby sister. Later they were adopted into the Flint’s family. Annie grew strong in faith and started to write poems and hymns. After school she became a teacher and during the second year of teaching, she was contracted with arthritis and it grew steadily worse until it became difficult for her to walk at all. Soon after this her adoptive parents also passed away and now left her and her frail younger sister twice orphaned. During these times she penned some of the best pieces of her work through poems and hymns that reached out to many and strengthened them. The marvelous thing is that Annie’s faith never faltered, and that she was always able to say, “Thy will be done.” . This is an example of how God can use your weakness to make you stronger and encourage many others who might go through the same phase in life as you trust in God completely.

He Giveth More Grace – Annie J. Flint

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

John 3:16 says that God loved the world – which includes man and woman, that He gave His Son Jesus to die for our sins so that we may be saved. God sees men and women as co-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17)

The Bible shows us many examples where women played important roles along with men.

1. Deborah – was a judge over all Israel. The three basic functions were administration, the settlement of disputes, and military leadership. The distinctive of Deborah’s work as a judge stands firmly in battle. As a woman she would not be expected to be on the battlefield. However, she did not allow cultural norms to hinder her leadership and thereby enabled others to bring victory to God’s people. The directives and results did not originate from the sharp mind of a military or civil leader. They stemmed from the Lord Himself speaking through the mouth of the prophetess. God spoke through a woman to win a battle!
2. Mary Magdalene – the first person to have been entrusted with the very words of Jesus after He rose again and carried this gospel message to the other disciples (John20:11-17) This is worth highlighting in a culture where women were regarded as inferior to men. Jesus chose to reveal Himself to a woman and through Her spread the message of His resurrection, which was by far the most essential message of Christianity. (1 Corinthians 1:27) If Jesus had not risen, then Christians would be the most pitied of all. (1 Corinthians 15:19) And Mary did her job well!
3. Phoebe – a deaconess who helped Paul and many others in their ministry. She was trusted by Paul to deliver his letter to the Romans. Phoebe was a woman of means, who, among other things, contributed financial support to Paul’s apostolate, and probably hosted the house church of in her home, as well as, providing shelter and hospitality to Paul when in the town.
4. Lydia – an entrepreneur who hosted Paul and his companions. She was the first convert to Christianity in Macedonia. The rabbis of that day where known to say, “It is better that the words of the Law be burned that be delivered to a woman.” The fact that Paul was willing to speak to the women of this place indicates he was not affirming to this view. Even though there was no great revival initially in Macedonia and only one woman got saved – Lydia, God used her greatly to aid Paul. She was instrumental in establishing the church at Philippi.
5. Priscilla – a missionary along with her husband Aquila are an example of how a couple can work together for God’s Kingdom and that it is not only men who are called for missions. God makes your availability for Him your ability to serve Him.

And so on …

Having said the above, God’s design for the roles that man and woman need to play are unique, but this does not make one inferior to the other. “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.” (Ephesians 5:23) This verse is self-explanatory if read in full. If he is the head of the wife, the Bile says that he must love and care for the wife as Christ does for the church which means he should be ready to even lay down his life for her.( Ephesians 5:23-25) “All through the Bible we see men climbing mountains to commune with God, but He always came down to meet with the women wherever they were.”– (God comes to the women – Heather Farrell). Differences between man and woman are meant to complement and complete each other so that they can together fulfil the purpose for which God has created them.