I am woman, hear me “Awww.”
Categories: Christianity
Written By: Melissa DeGroot
Whether it was the coo of my little niece, not to mention her distinct, intoxicating newborn baby smell, I was rejuvenated and renewed to think about the gift of our gender. Built to carry and bear children, women have been given such a wonderful role. On top of that, we have the ability to nurture and care for children (and people) that manifests itself distinctly because of our biology and yes, theology. Men care too, of course, but his is a quality of care that sets the genders apart, generally speaking. Psychologists and Sociologists will deem men and masculine traits as “problem solvers, protectors, providers,” while women and feminine traits are “nurturers, and attentive to emotional responses and details.” Of course we know that both women and men can overlap in these traits, and that it is neither right nor wrong to be predisposed to some traits more than others, if it does not coenside with your gender. However, the gift that your gender brings is truly Christological.
Reiterated over and over in Scripture, Christ is as bridegroom as the Church is as Bride. These are distinct gender representations to illustrate the Gospel. Christ laid his life down for his church, so it could walk in newness of life. So too, a husband (and a gentleman) will put himself in harm’s way to protect and provide for a wife and woman. Likewise, because women are the recipients of these actions, they respond in like, gracious manner, tending to the needs of her counterpart. Of course, this is hard to see at times because we live in a fallen world. Dead beat dads, divorce and abusive relationships marr that image of Christ and His church. Even good and godly relationships suffer because of sin. But thanks be to God that His grace is made known at the cross (not in our faulty behavior); in that love is NOT a feeling, but an action fulfilled on our behalf by our bridegroom, Christ, in his death and resurrection.
Woman can roar, (i.e., learn, work, achieve, and nurture their families) but suffice it to say, we cannot be fathers. There is a special role set aside for each gender. We can demonstrate Christ’s mercy, but his headship? No. A woman’s recourse is hymnody, prayer, praise and thanksgiving with all the company of saints in her daily life and in the liturgy. Dare I ask, as a Christian woman, what can be better than that?
January 4th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Mel
Great way to uplift the women!!! You will have to be my daughters mentors in the future. What a challenge it is to uplift both men and women to fulfill their vocations and to effectively proclaim Christ. If you have any resources for parents to rase their daughters accordingly, please throw them my way!
January 4th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Haha, well thank you Pastor [Brady]. It is a challenge, isn’t it? I think that teaching the doctrine of vocation can be such a delight and eye-opener, that allows pastors to take a sociological pulse of our world and church.
I don’t think I fully understood vocation until I came to seminary…so I think your daughters will just have to become deaconesses…and I would gladly be their mentors.
Actually, Dr. Gene E. Veith wrote a book, “God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life.” and Pless just wrote a book about “Women’s Ordination,” which is advertised in one of our blog posts here. Also, there is a small booklet called “Women in the Church: Scriptural Principles and Ecclesial Practice” compiled by the Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the LCMS. On the back leaf there is a list of resources too. The one I thought might be the most solid (without having read it) is by Zerbst, “the Office of Woman in the Church.” I am sure there are more current resources, so I hope anyone else who reads this and knows of some, might indulge us.
One thing that
January 4th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
strike that last phrase, “One thing that.”
January 8th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
That was a good one, thanks for posting. I want that title n t-shirt:)
January 8th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Thanks Stephanie,
Also, let me add to the first sentence of my original post. Not only was I rejuvenated to contemplate things/differences about our gender, but the little bundle of joy that is my neice, Hannah, and the miracle of life.
My sister-in-law and her husband suffered 3 miscarraiges (they are very open about this) prior to Hannah’s birth, so it is no “small” thing that Hannah has been given a life to be lived under her earthly parents’ care. Suffice it to say, my 2 neices and nephew are with their [Our] Father in heaven.