Bestowing Honor on the Woman – Part 4
May 1, 2005
Dear Friends:
We have a few random thoughts to close out this topic about honoring women.
THE VALUE OF STAY-AT-HOME MOMS: There doesn’t seem to be much respect for stay-at-home mothers anymore. It is commonly reported that even women look down their noses at women who “don’t work.” Perhaps Salary.com’s estimate of the annual compensation that would be required for the hours and skilled labor provided by stay-at-home mothers will change people’s minds. The annual salary for a stay-at-home mom if they were paid for their work? $131,471!!! Compare this to the salary of the average pediatrician ($136,555), entry-level attorney ($79,049) and United States Senator ($162,100), and stay-at-home moms are providing quite a service. Of course, we all know that a good mother is worth every cent.
MISOGYNY, LANGUAGE & MUSIC: I am not much of a fan of hip-hop or rap music, but what I do know about it tells me that it is the music of misogyny (hatred of women). Women are referred to in the most degrading terms which are not repeatable. It is surely a sign of the times that this music is so popular. It is a given that believers should not be listening to this type of music. How can we esteem others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3) or love one another if we refer to each other in such terms?
SEX IN MARRIAGE: We have been, over the past few weeks, railing against inappropriate sexual behavior. We don’t want to give the impression that sexual relations between a husband and a wife are somehow dirty or profane. Sexual relations in marriage are beautiful and to be enjoyed. Proverbs 5 tells us “Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth. As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love.” (18,19 NAS) Without being too graphic, it is a biological fact that a woman’s breasts have nothing to do with the act of conception. Yet, the writer of Proverbs encourages the man to be satisfied with them and “be exhilarated” with her love. Sexual relations in marriage is one of the great gifts of God to mankind. God even goes so far as to warn us against abstinence in marriage. “The husband must give to his wife what she has a right to expect, and so too the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and in the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. You must not deprive each other, except by mutual consent for a limited time, to leave yourselves free for prayer, and to come together again afterwards…” (1 Cor. 7:3-5 NJB)
Amazingly, the Apostle Paul even refers to marital relations as a metaphor for the relationship between Christ and the ecclesia. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” (Eph. 5:31-32 RSV)
MORE INFORMATION: If you are interested in learning more about the topic of sexual purity, there are two books that I would like to commend to your reading. The first is for men who have a problem with a wandering eye or pornography and is called Everyman’s Battle by Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker. The second is for young people and is called I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris.
“Treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity.” (1 Tim. 5:1-2 RSV)
Have a great week!
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