"Our sexual differences are the terms of our life and to obscure them in any way is to weaken the very fabric of life itself. When they are lost, we are lost." Elizabeth Elliott - Let me be a woman
The feminine challenge has been building through time and is the fabric of the culture in which we live. We find our tender form, young girls, losing themselves before they have known themselves - lost in a culture that has become heavily focused on the surface of things and less on depth and when required to go deep (to mature), prefer manipulation of our alternate form rather than self-actualization of their own.
Let us be honest, being a woman comes with its own set of legitimate limitations. I believe, our soul has been crafted with unique qualities that complement our physical form. Our journey need not be without tact or lacking good understanding of our unique form as these limitations narrow our focus - like a sword, to cut through and be effective. With no limitations, with no precise focus or intention, we are like a blunt sword.
Taking us back in time, we can see that, God identified the man (Adam) was alone so He creates woman (Eve). This served to resolve the “alone problem” and included a multiplication facility, a stabilizer and incubator for life. Woman. Do you know who you are, your value to the earth to say the least?!
It is common knowledge that failure to comply with a vessel’s intended design is a disaster and yet this violation continues to percolate.
Not suggesting women are not culpable in some way for the issues we face today, I don't think so at all. As recorded by Eve’s attempt to be like God, she wanted to know what He knows and set off a ripple of confusion and this ectopic moment in history continuous to play over and over, from generation to generation.
Some women may say, "hey! am not Eve" or please! Eve was from forever ago so how does this relate to me today?" Am glad you asked that question as I too wondered myself. It is not always obvious the damage we enable but if we look closely at our relationships and interactions we may begin to see patterns. We are so often influenced by cultural notions and preconceptions that are not founded on our makers instructions because they are so ingrained in society, in our peer groups, in our families, dare I say, even in our churches and considered normal. The recent talks about discrimination experienced by black women in the western world for example, is systematic, ingrained in the fabric of society and a lot of these labels circulated as a result, are not true, they are misconstrued and do not reaffirm who we are as women, black or white.
There are some things that we collectively do instinctively, such as to cover up when we are hurt or ashamed. This could be the forlorn reason why we sometimes hide away our talents, our gifts, our opinions, our originality, our true feelings, our true self! The result of this is a soul struggling to be set free, a soul robbed of expression.
The word hide means "to put something or someone in a place where that thing or person cannot be seen or found, or to put yourself somewhere you cannot be seen or found:"
Have you ever wondered why Adam and Eve covered their genitals after they ate the fruit of the tree of life and hid from God? Why didn't they hide their eyes or their ears or bear leaves upon their heads? Why cover the genitals? Can I suggest, it was instinctive for Adam and Eve to cover these parts up because they were not only the primary parts of their form that differentiated them but also the parts that enabled fruitfulness and fulfilment (the original mandate to multiply and fill the earth). This core had been violently and deceitfully attacked.
Fulfilment happens at great depth and so does violation. The concepts of fulfilment and violence have a singular point of reference - Relationship. Eve spent time interacting with the serpent before she fell, before she became confused about her identity.
The same mechanism/instrument that enables us to fulfil ourselves unequivocally is the same that could facilitate and has been the most severe form of violation from the beginning. Neither man nor woman can truly fulfil themselves without relationship and real relationship is experienced in our differences.
We should therefore accept that some limitations are legitimate. When we choose to violate the limitations of a vessel, we compromise it and its intended purpose. The act of violation causes our personal person to be buried within a hardened shell-like covering in an attempt to combat the pain of rejection.
Someone somewhere figured out if you are too busy and consumed by offences like, “they don't accept me because of the color of my skin”, “they do not value my talents on this team”, “I am underpaid as a woman and undervalued as a mother in my home”, “I do not speak the same language as these people” etc. all on the premise of trying to be who you are not, you would be less concerned and therefore less knowledgeable about who you really are on the inside because you are busy hiding your real self, fueled by the rejection or possibility of the rejection of your personal person.
Woman, is it possible this core of you has been frustrated into a place of hiding and this core of you really does determine your fruitfulness and fulfilment? To understand this core you must understand you have intentionally been made separate and different from any alternate form. Bask in that knowledge, don't hide, don't argue about it, don't get frustrated with it, bask in it!
The world would love for the woman to remain uncertain, unclear, it would love for us to be in this constant flux of trying to discover ourselves instead of just knowing and therefore being - woman.
Our rightful position as women, our essence of peace and joy has suffered severe violence, this was the same experience of the very first woman - Eve. We talk of organized crime in the world today, well crime doesn't get any more organized than this.
Let’s cast an eye over conspiracy theories developed over the years about why she was approached and tempted instead of her alternate form:
- Eve being a woman was the weaker vessel?
- Eve came out of the man, Adam?
- Eve just happened to be alone at the time? Lol!
I am not convinced by any of these theories as the reason for the attack on woman. I believe it was something far more profound. I think it was about purpose, the intended purpose of the vessel.
But are we ready to do the work required, are we ready to work out our faith. It requires gumption and courage. We'll talk about that in the next episode "Obscurity and faith".
Be blessed!
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