'You are a very strong woman,' she remarked 'So you can easily handle people who try and walk all over you.'
'Um... Okay.' I mumbled trying to internalize her angle of this thing.
Mel had been dealing with a 'disgruntled' male colleague and in the middle of their discourse, she burst into tears. Now, for some people that may be a natural response to frustration and to others, it is just foreign. We ask ourselves questions like 'who cries in public' or go ahead and remember statements like 'never give anyone the satisfaction of seeing your tears'
Recently, my workplace was doing interviews and we posed the generic question; what is your weakness? and it turned out tears were the weakness for a few of the interviewees. Can the strength of God be made perfect in out tears and frustration? I think this article by Mategyero will help answer that question.
1Peter 3:7 says;
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
This is one part of scripture that really just always left me uncomfortable and on the defensive. What the heck was Paul trying to insinuate? My last blog post was about Weakness and in thinking about weakness, I was drawn to that particular scripture among others.
Unfortunately, the world's perception of weakness, in our era, is not something I would easily or quickly associate with. But reading that scripture and factoring in the era, cultural setting and context, I am in agreement with Paul.
Two words; weaker and vessel. What does Paul mean by using these words?
Weaker; (er) is used in comparison. Comparative adjectives are used to compare the difference between two objects they modify. Hence, weaker simply means both vessels are weak but one is 'more weak' in comparison to the other.
Vessel; a person regarded as having or embodying a particular quality. Also, note that both male and female are vessels. Therefore, the woman is a vessel used by God but is more; tender, vulnerable, delicate, feeble, frail, 'human' (all synonyms of weak).
This weaker(ness) may manifest itself emotionally (meaning women are more emotionally aware and expressive) or physically (meaning there are tasks better suited to men because they require a certain amount of physical strength). Are there women who are not very emotionally sensitive, I think so. Are there men who are as emotionally sensitive as women, again I think so.
Paul's charge is for respect, leadership even protection by a husband. He probably addresses marriage because there is no relationship more vulnerable and intimate as a marriage relationship, but also because he is speaking directly to married people.
God has created women emotional, sensitive, delicate, FEMININE and there is absolutely nothing wrong with embracing your feminineness with all its characteristics, that God was very intentional about giving you. As a woman, learn to thrive in your femininity because it is a blessing, it is a gift straight from the heart of God to you. Thrive, my sister! And where you feel weak, guess what His strength is made perfect in your weakness!
To my brothers, be very ware of Paul's charge. Be very intentional in your interactions with women. Define your relationships and conduct yourselves as vessels worthy of the call of manhood. As to what the call of manhood is... Find a helpful article here
'Um... Okay.' I mumbled trying to internalize her angle of this thing.
Mel had been dealing with a 'disgruntled' male colleague and in the middle of their discourse, she burst into tears. Now, for some people that may be a natural response to frustration and to others, it is just foreign. We ask ourselves questions like 'who cries in public' or go ahead and remember statements like 'never give anyone the satisfaction of seeing your tears'
Recently, my workplace was doing interviews and we posed the generic question; what is your weakness? and it turned out tears were the weakness for a few of the interviewees. Can the strength of God be made perfect in out tears and frustration? I think this article by Mategyero will help answer that question.
1Peter 3:7 says;
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
This is one part of scripture that really just always left me uncomfortable and on the defensive. What the heck was Paul trying to insinuate? My last blog post was about Weakness and in thinking about weakness, I was drawn to that particular scripture among others.
Unfortunately, the world's perception of weakness, in our era, is not something I would easily or quickly associate with. But reading that scripture and factoring in the era, cultural setting and context, I am in agreement with Paul.
Two words; weaker and vessel. What does Paul mean by using these words?
Weaker; (er) is used in comparison. Comparative adjectives are used to compare the difference between two objects they modify. Hence, weaker simply means both vessels are weak but one is 'more weak' in comparison to the other.
Vessel; a person regarded as having or embodying a particular quality. Also, note that both male and female are vessels. Therefore, the woman is a vessel used by God but is more; tender, vulnerable, delicate, feeble, frail, 'human' (all synonyms of weak).
This weaker(ness) may manifest itself emotionally (meaning women are more emotionally aware and expressive) or physically (meaning there are tasks better suited to men because they require a certain amount of physical strength). Are there women who are not very emotionally sensitive, I think so. Are there men who are as emotionally sensitive as women, again I think so.
Paul's charge is for respect, leadership even protection by a husband. He probably addresses marriage because there is no relationship more vulnerable and intimate as a marriage relationship, but also because he is speaking directly to married people.
God has created women emotional, sensitive, delicate, FEMININE and there is absolutely nothing wrong with embracing your feminineness with all its characteristics, that God was very intentional about giving you. As a woman, learn to thrive in your femininity because it is a blessing, it is a gift straight from the heart of God to you. Thrive, my sister! And where you feel weak, guess what His strength is made perfect in your weakness!
To my brothers, be very ware of Paul's charge. Be very intentional in your interactions with women. Define your relationships and conduct yourselves as vessels worthy of the call of manhood. As to what the call of manhood is... Find a helpful article here
Comments
Thanks
I hear you Jemox, you and I have similar struggles in regard to being feminine and delicate (in a man's world) and that's okay. We still are our Father's daughters. When we have emotional breaks and feel all these things that we don't normally feel, It's okay. We will not shun but rather embrace that which we have been given by our Father. But also, what then do you suppose our response should be to these feelings that occasionally rear their head?
And yes, Juliete our perspectives can really be changed by just one word! Imagine that!