God’s Word and Women
Week 32, Weekend
Iva May
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Psalm 119:165 (kjv)
Female drama occurred in the early church just as it occurs in churches today. Paul addressed two women individually in the church at Philippi—Euodia, and Syntyche—and implored them “to be of the same mind in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2, nkjv).
It would have been interesting had Paul provided context for their drama, but he didn’t and that is good. Had Paul given the details, then all women who do not share their particular drama might minimize their own female drama. Paul did, however, explain the root cause of disunity in the body of Christ: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” And he illustrated the remedy in the person of Christ: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3,5, nkjv).
Could it be, then, that selfish ambition divided Euodia and Syntyche and caused them to take offense against one another?
The psalmist teaches that loving God’s Word more than personal ambition (or anything else, for that matter) squelches the tendency to take up an offense against others who, through word or action, promote themselves and their agenda or prevent our promotion of ourselves and our agenda. Prickly Christians reveal their lack of love for God’s Word.
Peninah did not love God’s Word so she provoked Hannah, but Hannah responded to that pain by prayer and faith to receive the birth of Samuel. Martha took offense at her sister for Mary’s “laziness,” but Jesus rebuked her because Mary had chosen the best part (see Luke 10:38-42). Loving God’s Word requires developing a mind-set focused on Him. Isaiah says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3, nkjv).
Only heaven will show the source of the quarrel between Euodia and Syntyche, but their conflict marred the unity of the church and marked them for all eternity as quarrelling, divisive women. Loving God’s Word frees women from the tendency to join their tribe.
Father, make me a woman of Your Word. Use the hurts and offenses that come to me as signals to love Your Word more. Amen.
This is so good to “hear” today. We need to do what God wants of us. We should not be the cause of trouble for our churches. Sometimes we have to know when to step away from a situation or a person so that as to not get sucked into gossip/problems or to avoid conflict. Let God be your guide.
It is hard not to let words and actions of otheres, especially women in the church, to offend either directly or indirectly. I know I take things out of context sometimes, but I am someone who feels “left out”, and there have been times that I haven’t been included in things because I was the “pastors wife”. From the last 8 years of being in the ministry, I have learned that Jesus is my BFF…but I am still praying for that special woman friend!
Sometimes our special woman friend is not found in the church. I have a dear friend who is a principal. Our positions are sometimes lonely positions. Sometimes you need to vent and know that it will go no further. We have that relationship. My husband and I also have special single friends and couple friends at our current church and our former church. This is a blessing that we have these blessed people in our lives. Redbird, it is a blessing to have Jesus as your BFF. I do pray that you find a special woman friend that you can turn to. May God bless you with this special person.