One of my current 'things' is trying to untangle the truth from what Man has done to it and with it.
I have no intention to place women above men, after all, we were created as humankind, both male and female, in the image of God. I have no intention to 'talk down' men, like they have done to women for ages.
I am just shocked to learn how much the Bible has been used by men to dominate over women in a negative way, blaming them for all evil and just ignoring their part in it. ADAM WAS THERE AND ADAM ATE.(Ok, that's a bit strongly put perhaps, but to illustrate). The Bible teaches me something different about men and women than Christian society does. I am shocked, and I am angry: how can one abuse the Word of God in such a way? And why?
I feel like women have to deal with Eve's punishment day after day, while men? Not so much. And I mean, this is over 2000 years after Jesus died for our sins.
If men really are strong leaders, why do they break us down? If men are the ones in control of themselves, then why do I get hooted at by something that is controlled by his, er, little brain?
"Dear Adam,
It has been a very long time since the Fall. I have been weakened by the Lord's punishment for my sin, and I am confronted with it still on an almost daily basis. My body reminds me of it. My mind reminds me of it. You remind me of it. And maybe it's only now that I understand why you ruling over me is a punishment.
You seem to have gotten off easy. I doubt it: look closer. Look at what you've done in the meantime. Look at what my punishment has done to you.
It's been ages. I still can't count on you. You're still getting a kick out of the 'ruling' part. You still haven't grown into a man, able to govern with wisdom, who understands the difference between ruling and bullying.
I am still waiting. Jesus has died. Jesus saw me, the woman.
Please. Stop letting me down. I was made because you needed me. And I know, I have my fair share of wrong doing, I am sorry for that, but in making things right we both need to step up. I can't do much in this respect without you.
Show me you still are the man as God intended, complementary to the woman God intended me to be.
Yours,
Eve."
BD,
All, very, valid points and it is great to see that you, like myself, are looking for answers. There are many lenses to view this issue through but one, I was, as a young buck, amused about the basic design God used. Men reach their sexual peak at, about, 17 to 19 year of age. Ladies reach it in their mid-thirties, I'm taught... just as the man is noticing his decline in sexual prowess.
And while this is happening the lady has matured in her, very late to early twenties but the love of her life will not, possibly, mature until his mid to late thirties. As a singer, on stage, I used these set of truths as a humor until I was nearly forty. The man, in scripture, is taught to study his wife, every day of his and her lives. And since God expects us to think logically, the same about studying her husband is true. It has been my experience that our ladies tend to pick this truth of logic about commands given to the man up much, much more quickly than men do.
All of this being true, a lens that must be applied to this is God's omniscience. It is a much ignored truth but God knew we, both sexes would have these issues, long, before He created us. So it is imperative for the man to study his wife to be, truly, blessed and the same for his mate. If we both do this, in love, the lady will help her mate to grow, as our Father meant it to be, and the man will strive, always, to do everything, and I do mean everything, he can for his mate.
Young men, men under 60, have very fragile egos and have grown. overly, sensitive about it because we have, by and large, chosen to be unequally yoked. Today, I saw on TV a report about a mother that made her child a KKK garb for his Trick or Treat venture. She ¨claims¨ to be Christian and, totally, misused the scripture to justify the costume, saying that God means for white to stick to white and black to black. There are a wide variety of possible applications for this passage until we place it inside the intended context. But just as mankind has ripped this out of context, we have, as a people, done the same thing to all of the directions about our relationships to our mates
For every one of the directions, commands, if I may, about our wives submitting to us, there is an equal command for men to live by, as well as, also, realizing the commands for our wives also apply to us. Just as I know my wife is totally committed to me, I also made that commitment. I have never found it a requirement to be concerned when a past motorcycle club friend shows up and she greet them with a hug and she has never hesitated to leave me alone with one of the girls in our Church Family when I am rebuilding their computers. There is no question of our loyalty because both of us have placed Jesus, first in our lives and we refuse to disappoint Him.
You keep at it, please and you can help God grow His children. God bless.