31:10 - role of men & women

"A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman - who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls."

Religion has a bad name for making women inferior, but that has never been true of God. Yes, we are created as 'help-mates', and it is a physical fact that women are weaker then men. But is the heart any less important then the brain!? We are created to compliment and complete. We were not taken from the head to rule over man, nor the feet to be walked all over, but from a rib, close to man's heart to love and protect. There is freedom and blessing when living within the Creator's design.

We have done a great disservice to our men by trying to 'usurp authority' over their role and have left a lot of men emasculated. A project works a lot better and can be magnificent when everyone does there role well, but when there are those always vying for the lime light things usually fall apart, or at the very least, its not as great as it might have been.

We've also done a disservice to our daughters in allowing our role to be thought of as inferior and unacceptable. Our society pressures girls to feel that they need to have a career outside the home, which over the years has led to the authentic need in some homes for us to HAVE to work because the economics are geared for two income homes now. Don't get me wrong, careers aren't wrong, but the pendulum always seems to swing to extremes. My own daughters often comment that they aren't 'girly', as though being a girl is the most detestable thing.

Somehow we've gone from modest, skirt wearing feminine ladies
to women who think its great to flaunt their boobs as sex objects rather then life giving gifts, and love to make money at the expense of the other women who are at home, hurt, because, somehow, they are no longer enough for their husbands. I've watched programs (that I really shouldn't have) and have heard the arguments and perspectives. Believe it or not I do get it. In searching my heart, I think that if I had a 'deadly' body and no conviction of the Holy Spirit I would be one of the 'high class' girls. Hell! The money is great and who DOESN'T want to be SO wanted and desired! But where are you in the end? Where are these girls when they are 50, 60, 70 years old? And the TRUTH is - lust does NOT equate love.

Over the next 20 verses of Proverbs 31 you will see that God created women - NOT as lowly servant girls or door mats - but as incredible creatures that are CAPABLE, INTELLIGENT AND VIRUTOUS ...VALUED MORE THEN JEWELS, RUBIES OR PEARLS.

"Instead of asking, 'What should a woman do—what is her role?' it would be far more helpful to ask, 'What is a woman—what is her design?' and, 'Why did God place Woman in our midst?' " — John Eldredge (Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul)