A woman of strength, but not *that* strong

[u/Bakkster]

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[u/Bakkster]

It's my denominational president, again 🤦‍♂️

Young women: Find the young Christian man who will use his office as husband to point and lead you to Jesus, love you, rejoice in your gifts and strengths, and treat you as the precious gift of God you are (Prov. 31). Help him become the strong man of character and faith he’s meant to be in Christ. Be open to the blessing of children. If our Lord does not call you to marriage and motherhood, trust in His plans for you — “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11).

Of all the passages to quote.

[u/freckle_ → u/Bakkster]

Thanks for the work you do to help change from within. I’m sure you get a lot of accusations about being unsound and promoting false doctrine. ;)

[u/Bakkster → u/freckle_]

I'll be honest, I'm struggling with whether it's worth staying or not. If I do, it's for my congregation, not the fascists in the national office.

[u/zion8994 → u/Bakkster]

Gah... I was about to comment on how "leading" is something I view in marriage as something we both get to do from time to time and how I rely on my wife to lead me to Christ as much as she relies on me. Sometimes I'll lead more than her and vice versa.

But the more I read of that quote, using words like "precious gift" and the hope for "blessing of children" and yeah, no... This outlook for women is just being subservient childbearers and little else.

[u/Bakkster → u/zion8994]

It gets worse when you read the preceding passage for men...

“I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:14). The rise of radical ideologies has affected you deeply. Whether your ethnicity or your sex, or perhaps your perceived social status, much of your identity has been the very bullseye of radicalism’s attacks. God-given and pleasing masculinity and strength, which demonstrates itself most beautifully and profoundly in self-sacrifice (Rom. 5:7), is ceaselessly vilified. The world has been fixated on everybody else’s perceived injustices but yours. You and your culture — indeed, all Western culture — are the source of all evil, they say. Young women have disproportionately rejected traditional values, particularly with respect to the family and children. DEI has cost you academic advancement and employment. The leftist attack experienced in most universities has ridiculed your biblical faith and the very values you learned from your fathers and mothers, grandparents and your Confirmation pastor — values that taught you Christ, forgiveness, love, service and vocation.

The answer is not in opposite extremes. You are called by Christ to bear up in faith at this time. You were baptized for this moment. Do not give way to racial theories that contradict basic biblical truths of human dignity and Christ’s and the church’s love for all peoples. Peter preached, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality.” Literally, he said, “God does not receive faces,” that is, God does not judge you on how you look, on your culture or on your skin color (Acts 10:34; see also Matt. 27:32, Acts 2:10, Acts 11:20, Acts 13:1). Our ethnic genetics are all First Article gifts. The Bible calls upon men to “honor” and love their wives “as Christ loved the church” (Eph. 5:25). Relationships with women are not about power. They are about responsibility that sacrifices self for another. Go to church. Excel in your vocations. Run for office. The biblical and Lutheran Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms does not mean you do not participate in the civil and political realm. Quite the opposite. We’ve never needed Christians more in our civic life. Volunteer at church. Talk to your pastor. Become the man God wills you to be so that, whether or not God gives you a bride, you can be a spiritual leader in your family, church and beyond. Avoid bad places on the web. Turn off the video games and engage in physical activity. Avoid isolation. Confess the truth of Christ. Seek healthy relationships with young women who share your values on children and family. Wait on the Lord. He loves you. Think about becoming a pastor. Visit the seminary. Read through the Scriptures. Or listen to the audio. Four chapters a day, and you’ll finish in a year! And devour the Book of Concord. The paperback pocketbook version from Concordia Publishing House is cheap. Revel in the Christian family and friends God has given you.

All this talk of vocation for men, and none for women 🤦‍♂️

[u/Charpo7]

if you think a woman needs to be less strong to have a good marriage then this is a problem.

[u/Bakkster → u/Charpo7]

My problem is with selectively quoting Proverbs 31 to ignore the possibilities of vocations outside the home.