The first day of school for students on my campus is Monday. Thanks to orientation, I have had the privilege of meeting a lot of my students and find myself excited beyond measure at the year ahead. We will have a great time together not just because it’s fourth grade, but because each student and myself bring a unique enthusiasm to the room. We are an acclerated campus, so we will be pushing hard through the rigorous lessons before us, but none of us would be there if we couldn’t do it.
Truly, I cannot wait for the first day!!!! But, if you’ll forgive me…I need a little grace for a minute.
You see, in our ministry we have this beautiful woman who is filled with our Creator’s knowledge and desire. She yearns to tell others about our God. She is a wonderful listening ear and she speaks only what the Bible has to say. Today, we welcomed her as a Women’s Spiritual Leader and we call her Pastor Betty. She explemilifies the Titus 2 woman that women are supposed to strive for as they grow in God’s wisdom and age. We love her and we rejoiced in her joining with us.
Then it happened….someone outside our group had to say something about how women are not to teach the men blah, blah, blah, quoting scripture to back up his point.
Here’s the thing. He chose one verse out of the whole Bible to back up his point. What he didn’t mention or forgot or didn’t realize, I don’t know, is that there are several women in the Bible who held the role of teacher, leader, and even prophetess.
Debrorah, both a judge and prophetess led Isreael while demonstrating both spiritual and practical leadership.
Priscilla, along side her husband instructed Apollos through a deeper understanding of God’s word.
Mary Magdalene was the first to witness the resurrection of Jesus and then shared the news with others.
Phoebe was a servant of the church as stated by Paul who encouraged the believers to support her.
There are several more women who served in these capacities as well. I have a hard time when someone says a women should not be something. NOT because I’m a feminist. Nope, definitely don’t operate that way. NOT because I think women always being under the rule of man is archaic. Nope, don’t operate that way either. But because statements like those show a spiritual immaturity. Whether it’s a relunctance to see that God had a plan for women in strong roles just as He did for the men or you’re picking and choosing what you want to believe, I don’t know.
This is what I do know. I. Am. A. Teacher. I teach children and prepare them to be ready for their future. I teach adults through their creative struggles. I lead women through their spiritual struggles when necessary. My teaching is according to the person in need of my knowledge. I don’t discrimanate, so I would expect you to not discrimanate toward me.
So often, we speak in ignorance because we are not truly thinking before we speak. We itch so bad to express our feeling of the moment (guilty here) that we don’t always think through what we should actually say or if we should say anything. The book of James talks about how the tongue is mighter than the sword becuase the wounds from the tongue never fully heal. It is my opinion that ignorance sharpens the tongue.
In today’s world there is so much going on that we shouldn’t be raining on someone’s parade due to our views be they valid or misguided. We need to celebrate each other more. We need to read our Bible more thoroughly to understand how we are supposed to be in this world. Don’t operate on one verse, operate on the whole book.
So, I will celebrate Pastor Betty. As a woman, I need her Titus 2 guidance. On Monday, I will celebrate my students and I will focus on teaching them to seek out the full truth of whatever is put before them before they speak. Knowledge is power. Ignorance shows immaturity. Which would you choose?
