Womanhood

[Adaeze]

I guess, I'm sorry if I come off a certain way. But I've always been distressed on the way that I've heard people tackle the issue of biblical womanhood. I've always felt as if we've been reduced to some sort of maid. As if there's no room for personality or difference. Help, please?

I honestly think that the christian community as a whole needs to take a look at how it's tackling this concept. We need to do it in a way that doesn't reduce our value. We're not all cookie cutter Proverbs 31 women. We're just not. Some of us are the caretakers and some of us are the adventurous trailblazers. It also seems somewhat pretentious to me that a man would try to teach on the topic of womanhood when he quite clearly has never been (and will never be) a woman. It's sort of unfair. Actually, it's very unfair. There are groups of woman who have been victimized and are hurting because they expect themselves to be this cookie cutter woman. And their churches, friends, family etc are not really helping them reach their full potential.

Your thoughts on the subject?

[Sevenseas]

I think God created women to be far more than many men want to give them credit for. I also think that a man who serves Jesus Christ as Lord...really and truly does...is rare and a woman

who is married to such a man is very blessed indeed.

Both sexes need to get their act together. Seriously. Most of them anyway. Short answer. Very short but I understand what you are saying.

I will add however, that I do not believe society has any working answers and I do not believe that Christianity is a humanistic religion so looking for answers and

solutions outside of Christ will not work...just look around. I think we are all hurting...some for one reason and others for another and it is not going to get better.

Those of us who are married, and I am, need to stop the "I" mentality...both men and women...husbands need to love their wives and wives will most often respect

the husband who does love his wife. There are always exceptions of course, but the Bible will be proven true when people obey it. And I don't mean legalism...I mean

in the spirit in which it was written...God's love, wisdom and knowledge have all been give to us through our Savior and we need to keep His words in whatever

situation we find ourselves in...whether of our own making or in circumstances we did not create, but yet find ourselves in.

Open for discussion

[The_Patriot21]

Why do you think this? A women should never be a maid to her husband. But on the same note, she is to submit to him. Marriage, isn't a one way street, I do know a lot of men who will take ephesians 5:22-24 that says

wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. for the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, He himself being the saviour of the body but as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

And while that is true-you are to submit to your husband, that is your role, most men, overlook the rest of the passage-which describes their role.

Verses 25-29 Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless so husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. he who loves his own wife loves himself for no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church.

Men and women serve two different roles in a relationship, and "maid" is not one of them. A wife should always submit to her husband-but a husband, should never walk over his wife, and should seek her counsel on things, and take care of her and make sure all her needs are met-if anything, theyre both "maids" to each other in a way. A good friend of mine explained it to me in a metaphor before I got married.

A sign of submission, is kneeling. A wife, should kneel, before her husband. That is her job. Now, to the men-men put things that they cherish, up on a pedestal, so a man who truly loves his wife, should put her up on a pedestal, and value her as such. As long as she is kneeling, on that pedestal that he put her on, they are both equal, and the relationship will work. She will support his decisions, because she knows that he has her best interests in mind all the time-and values her input on everything, and trusts he would always put her needs first, she she does the same.

Now, if she is kneeling, and he does not put her on a pedestal, we have a problem-that is the man devaluing the women, and this often leads to abuse, and the wifes needs not being met, and if theyre not being met shes not likely to meet his needs fully, either out of resentment, and puts the wife as a "slave" and not a wife. It is not a healthy relationship for either party.

If he puts her on a pedestal, and she stands, then we have the opposite-the man is not doing his job of leading the family, and is in fact, a slave to the wife-which means the husbands needs are not being met, and will lead towards resentment to the wife.

Now, if the husband isn't putting the wife on the pedestal, and shes standing, and not kneeling, then you have them both going their own way, fighting each other, and neither of their needs being met.

All 3 of these situations usually lead to infidelity, and broken relationships. Only in the first example-the wife kneeling in submission to her husband on the pedestal that he put her on, leads to a healthy, and equal, relationship. Both parties have to be working together, as equal partners, to fulfill each others needs, to create a healthy relationship, they both cannot be doing the exact same job.

[OneLight]

A husband, if following scripture, will not degrade his wife in any way. Let's look at what Paul tells the men of the Ephesian church.

Ephesians 5:25-33

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

[Guest HisG]

. It also seems somewhat pretentious to me that a man would try to teach on the topic of womanhood when he quite clearly has never been (and will never be) a woman.

It's words of (advice) passed on to King Lemuel by his mother. - Prov 31 v 1: The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:

So it's basically her advice to her son for what makes a good wife - those qualities - Responsibility, dependability, industriousness, moral/ethical standards etc etc.

[*Zion*]

I was discussing this very topic last night with my husband and a brother from church. We were reading Numbers 22-25 and Revelation 2, where the Word talks about Balak, Baalam and Jezebel. It seems that if the enemy wants to get us to fall it's through the opposite sex. Men, whether you like it or not, you need a helper. That's why God created women in the first place. And girls, we have to admit, though we can bear children, keep house and work at the same time, still we are the weaker ones in this senario. We need protection, support and love. So what does the enemy do? Fills women with inferiority and, in the extreme, gets them to wear next to nothing to attract some male attention, and in equal extremes fills men with a lust that is so dangerous they will fulfil it even if it means by force, and we all know what that means. Women are told to submit, but sometimes it's to the most awful of situations. Men are told to love, but run the risk of being dangerously manipulated.

Hence why we have this:

Ephesians 5:25-33

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

It takes two tango my friends, let's not give the enemy any room! Love your wives for who they really are. Men need help, but they have their uses too Just playing! I love my husband very much. Thank you Lord Jesus for our relationship.

[angel_uk]

I love the description in Proverbs 31 - it is one of my favourite sections in the Bible.

The woman described in Proverbs 31 is strong, capable, trustworthy, innovative, and many other things. Very aspirational to me! She doesn't just do her duty grudgingly - she is eager and vigorous. She doesn't sound like some mistreated and maligned woman to me - there is strength in submission.

[He giveth more grace]

Woman's highest fulfillment and value is in Christianity, it doesn't make women maids, it lifts them up to the highest plane, can I get a witness?.

[nebula]

A good friend of mine explained it to me in a metaphor before I got married.

A sign of submission, is kneeling. A wife, should kneel, before her husband. That is her job. Now, to the men-men put things that they cherish, up on a pedestal, so a man who truly loves his wife, should put her up on a pedestal, and value her as such. As long as she is kneeling, on that pedestal that he put her on, they are both equal, and the relationship will work. She will support his decisions, because she knows that he has her best interests in mind all the time-and values her input on everything, and trusts he would always put her needs first, she she does the same. ...

I like that metaphor! Thank you for sharing.

[He giveth more grace]

A good friend of mine explained it to me in a metaphor before I got married.

A sign of submission, is kneeling. A wife, should kneel, before her husband. That is her job. Now, to the men-men put things that they cherish, up on a pedestal, so a man who truly loves his wife, should put her up on a pedestal, and value her as such. As long as she is kneeling, on that pedestal that he put her on, they are both equal, and the relationship will work. She will support his decisions, because she knows that he has her best interests in mind all the time-and values her input on everything, and trusts he would always put her needs first, she she does the same.

Beautiful, Pat.