There is no doubt that some interpret Scripture as presenting women as in some way second class citizens or subservient to men ... and if one wants to have such a picture of the role of women, you will find the necessary Scriptures to support such a view. This Mothers' Day (in the UK Mothers' Day is the fourth Sunday in Lent) I want to lay before you a view that women are in no way subservient or inferior, and will find the Scriptures to support such a view. My starting point will be the proverbial wife of noble character.
If
we look at these last verses of Proverbs, we see some of the roles that the
wife played in the household:
She
works incredibly hard in the home:
She
selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She
gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She
makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
She
sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In
her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She
works hard in the world:
She
is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She
makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She
watches over the affairs of her household
She is
a business women in her own right:
She
sees that her trading is profitable,
She
considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She
has what today is called a social conscience
She
opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
She
has learnt the greatest lesson of all in the Scriptures, namely that the fear
of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom:
She
speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
Charm
is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be
praised.
It
is no doubt that it is women such as these that supported our Lord’s ministry.
Have you ever wondered how Jesus and His disciples survived in the travelling
ministry that Jesus called them to? You might remember that He called them away
from their occupations as tax collectors and fishermen. So how did they
survive?
After
this, Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming
the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some
women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene)
from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of
Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to
support them out of their own means.
The
answer of course is: Women ... Godly women ... wise women ... wives of men
outside of Jesus circle ... “Where is all the money going that you’re earning
from your hard work dear? I was hoping to have built an extra room on by now”
“Oh,
I’m using it to support a preacher who is causing quite a stir in Galilee and
Jerusalem.”
An
abusive husband would say: “Oh no you’re not! I’ll decide what we do with the
money in this house.”
A
Godly husband, on the other hand, will say:
‘Many
women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.’
The rest of our service today is given over to testimonies about women who have in some way demonstrated Godliness to us.
