3. Women as Equal
Scripture also offers an example of what true gender equality looks like. In Galatians 3:28, Paul writes, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." What this verse is not saying is that there are no differences between men and women. However, the assertion here is that in the eyes of Christ we are all of equal value and importance as his children. To him, distinctions like man and woman, child and adult, black and white, only serve to increase the diverse, beautiful, and dynamic qualities that he longs for his Church to embody. God has "broken down the dividing wall of hostility" between all people through the Gospel (Ephesians 2). In Christ, with his help, we are able to see ourselves as brothers and sisters under God, with no one higher than another, no one closer to God, no one more worthy, and no one with better gifts of his Spirit. Genders are of equal value before God as two complimentary halves that together reflect the fullness of his image.
4. Women as Courageous
The story of Esther begins with a climate of harsh
misogyny. The king, after publicly
shaming and divorcing his disobedient wife, is searching for a new, young wife
to replace her as queen. Enter Esther, not only a woman but also a member of an
ethnic group under extreme persecution. After being selected as the new queen,
she learns of a plot to eradicate her entire people group and decides to go
before the king illegally to plead their case. Because this is illegal, the
king may choose to have her executed for her actions. Her words before taking
this bold step speak to the immense amount of courage required of her: “I will
go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
Esther displays bold faith in her God that He will protect her
while still accepting the weightiness of her decision should it be in His will
for her to fail. Her actions ultimately result in the
preservation of her people and the redemption of her relatives. Esther stands defiantly
against a trifecta of fearsome opponents including the restrictions against
women, the oppression of her people, and the law of her king.
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