Those seeking to cement the patriarchy in the church find many ways to isolate certain passages to promote their ideas. We see this frequently in the letters to the early church where Paul’s words are taken as a hard and fast rule for all churches, without looking at the context that give his words meaning.

Committing yourself to studying the bible means you ask questions such Who is the author? Who are they writing to? What is the genre of this book? How doe this point to the gospel? When we take the time to ask these questions and look deeply at these questions, many of the arguments that can be used to oppress women lose their traction.

Questioning these messages pushing women into very specific roles is important, because when we look at the bible we see God using women in a variety of ways.

Deborah: Was a female judge who was known as a compassionate leader led by God’s wisdom.

Esther: Stood up to the king and save her people from genocide.

Mary of Bethany: Showed her devotion by putting Jesus first over her household chores.

Rahab: A clever and brave women who helped God’s plan unfold by hiding spies in her home.

The Samaritan Woman at the well: Brought many Samaritans to faith through her testimony about the conversation she had with Jesus.

These women show that God uses women as much as her uses men, and we should trust his plan for each person no matter their gender. We will miss so many great opportunities for the kingdom if we keep women from stepping into the calling from God because it doesn’t fit our human description of a Godly woman.

So my message to Christian women who feel conflicted, know that you are not alone. God makes some of us to be mothers and wives who support our families and that’s a beautiful thing, but he also makes some of us to stand in front proclaim his word to the world. Sometimes he makes us to be both or something else entirely. At the end of the day our identity is in God, and not in this world. So whatever he made you to be, listen to who he is telling you are over who the world is telling you you should be.

Engagement Question: How have you witnessed or experienced the way the church views women?