A Matter of Life and Death

No one can fight well when off balance. This Sunday we will focus on "Finding Center." - chapter 4.

In our video two sessions ago Lisa Bevere offered the opinion that the gender issue more than matters. It is a matter of life and death.

At women's Bible study discussion was lively and long as we looked at the gender issue from three perspectives.

We had divided into three groups and, interestingly, each one took a different approach to the same question: "How significant is the gender issue to you? How have you seen gender discrimination played out in your life or in society?"

The significance the first group saw was in the lack of respect of some men toward women. It seemed an interpretation of femininity was the "weaker sex" was also perceived as weak minded and therefore the male needed to think for her. This meant making decisions for her. Therefore, women felt a need to prove their worth constantly.

Isn't that interesting?

The next group had focused on equal pay for equal jobs. A discrimination that still occurs in the job market which most of us could merely shake our heads over for we could not find a solution.

Sad truth? 

The last group had a recent graduate explaining to us how she is about to attend the wedding of two of her Christian female friends who've decided to marry. She recalls being asked by them "when did you decide you were heterosexual?" Then, a teacher affirmed that many of her middle school students believe that gender is a choice they get to make.

Confusion or what?

I think I can report consensus was Lisa Bevere has it right. Our society is very confused about gender and if we moved toward an androgynous culture we are going to have some very serious issues. Life and death issues because we are messing with the very core of our creation.

How does one deny the absolute truth that our genes have already told us our gender? How can you live your life in peace and confidence when you are telling your Creator He was wrong when He made you?

Did God make a mistake when He created you as a man? Did God make a mistake when He created you as a woman?

Maybe the answer is in understanding who God is. You know, He isn't like you or me. In our egoism we have minimized the Almighty – the Creator of the Universe (not just Earth), the Omnipotent, Omniscient, the One Who can hold the oceans in the palm of His hand – we have minimized God into a spiritual vending machine that is as portable as our smart phones. We pull Him out of our hip pocket when disaster hits. We punch His number in when we face a crisis. We have turned Him into an image we have created instead of realizing we have it reversed.

We were created in His image.

Now pause here and let that sink into your heart.

God. Created YOU. In HIS image.

You are not the original. The original is always superior to the copy. In fact, look in the mirror. Can your image speak? Can your image make a decision? Can your image do everything you can do?

So, how could we possibly tell the One in whose image we are created that He made a mistake in assigning us our gender? Our talents? Our purpose?

No. The ladies were all in agreement. This is enmity. This is the destruction that began in the garden of Eden when Satan convinced Eve she surely would not die if she'd eat of the fruit forbidden to her. 

But, we are reminded in this study, Jesus restored that broken relationship. He says, "Yes. You can choose. You can choose between life and death. But in your choosing remember - I am The Way, I am The Truth. I am The Life. Choose life."

Next week we will have more lively discussion as we are challenged to return to a place of balance and strength. To find our center so we can stand against the destructive path our society has taken.

Come join us and learn how you can fight these battles as the daughters of God.

Author Note I'm Janet Brister and am facilitating the study. I thought it would be nice to sum up our classes each week and remind those in class what the assignment is, etc.

Assignment Read Chapter 4 and complete workbook. Some of these questions you've never considered before so do your best to answer what you can.