This is me. I am all those things. And quite simply, obviously, I am a woman. I've been burdened lately with the fact that the world and unfortunately, the "Christian" world especially doesn't think all these things are okay.
I hear things like "God's intention for Christianity is for it to have a masculine feel" (said by a pretty famous and popular Christian leader). No, I don't think that's true at all. God created us in His image...and he created male and female so how do we get away with saying God has a "masculine feel"? I heard someone say once, "Only in both male and female can we fully understand God's image. We can't understand God just looking at male or just female." (Rachel Held Evans is doing a series on this...it's a great post so make sure to read it here!!)
This post originally had a different "feel" and was a bit more cynical and angry. There are plenty of things I could say out of anger...and I believe justified anger, but I don't want this to be just a rant. A friend suggested I went more of the constructive route. Yes, I am tired of being challenged by brothers and sisters in Christ telling me woman shouldn't be in my "type" of ministry. Tired of hearing stories of Christian leaders who don't support women in their calling. Tired of people looking over or not acknowledging how important women were in the Bible and in the story of Jesus (See a great blog on this here).
I want all women to be encouraged in their calling. Some women are wives and mothers, some women are nuns, some women are single, some are executives, some are teachers, some are in ministry, etc. All those things are great. God gives us each a unique calling...I just want you to feel encouraged in that calling. Know whether or not it fits in the box of "typical" and "traditional" things women have done, it's more than okay not to fit in a box.
I want women to know they are valuable and worthy. They can be confident in the calling God has placed in their lives and know that God didn't make a "weaker" sex. I want my brothers and sisters in Christ to know and believe these words from Frank Viola (see blog link below):
Brothers, honor your sisters in the Kingdom of God. For God honors them. When our Lord pulled Eve out of Adam, He didn’t take her out of his feet below him. Nor did He take her out from his head above him. He took her out of his side.
Sisters, you are fellow heirs in the Kingdom of God. You are fellow priests in the church of God. You are honored. You are cherished. You are valuable. You are needed.
Men. Women. Father. Mother. Single. Married. Wife. Husband. Student. Teacher. Executive. Minister. We are all part of the family. One is not better than another...we all just are.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galations 3:28
If you agree or disagree, please read Frank Viola's blog here because he says it way better than I can.
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