Taking Back My Femininity
Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
Genesis 2:22-23
A woman must guard her heart above all else, and she must be free to be who God made her to be. She is different than man, she is the complement for man, and she has different roles in marriage than the man. True womanhood is doing all that she does, regardless of where she presently is in life, to the honor and glory of God by honoring His Word.
As women when we operate out of the curse and fill our lives with worry, anxiety, and walls we build around our hearts, we miss out on the blessing of being an oasis for others and being vulnerable in relationship. We also live out the folly of Proverbs 14:1. “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.” When we wall up our hearts because our vulnerability has been used against us in some way (i.e. abuse, abandonment, insult, rejection), we are not free to live out the gospel in our lives to others.
"Should women be offended that they’re created to have a helping disposition?"
No more than men should be offended to need help! Should woman be offended that she was created from man’s side? No more than man should be because he was created from dirt. Adam and Eve both sinned against God in a way that went against his design for their roles. Adam was supposed to lead and protect Eve; instead he follows her idea to eat the fruit. Eve was supposed to follow and help her husband; instead she is the one who leads him into temptation.
"And what happens to women as a result of sin?"
The curse given in Genesis 3:16 shows that now women will bear children in pain, and there will be strife in her relationship with the man. In other words, before the fall, Eve only thought to trust and delight in Adam’s leadership. She desired, anticipated, and facilitated his leadership…but after the fall…women struggle to honor, respect, trust, delight in and encourage male leadership.
"Which scriptures gives us a profile of a godly woman?"
Proverbs 31:10-31, which gives us a profile of a godly woman. “10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
"What are a few things about this proverbs 31 woman?"
- Her endeavors bless her family. Femininity involves nurturing life as she generously feeds the poor and clothes her own children. Even though she can do many things, her primary orientation as a married woman is centered on being a helper to her husband and her children. Notice that she has business endeavors outside the home, but they benefit her family first, not her own reputation or sense of ambition.
· She fears the Lord The Holy Spirit wants to remind us that true beauty is found in a heart that has God at center. This woman knows that God is her judge and that God is the one whom she must love and serve above all else.
