MM, Ladies,
May I interject something here. As I was reading part of this post yesterday and then today, I was struck but something I thought I would share with you. It is not Biblical, it is a true story told to me by a friend who works in marine biology.
It seems this friend knew a fellow that work with dolphins. They were training some dolphins to jump through a hoop. All of the dolphins picked it up rather quickly except one of them. This particular dolphin refused to do this. The fellow tried for about a day with now luck. So a co-worker came out with him. The co-worker noticed that the fellow was not holding the hoop vertical, he had it tilted. He suggested that the fellow hold it vertical and the dolphin jumped right through.
Now the friend that told me this story looked at me and stated: "It makes you wonder who was training who doesn't it?" I laughed.
This thought came to me when you all were talking about the heirarchy between God, husband, and wife. And it was further enhanced by the statement that Adam was not complete so God created Eve.
Do you suppose that men's role is their role because they have more to learn and thus must be closer to the source?
My point and perhaps the point MM is making is that we preceive things from our perspective, but that does not mean that we know the purpose or the merit of it all. One learns most, when one is forced to teach.
I have always thought that we assume a lot when we assume our perspective is the whole picture, just as assuming that women are "second" class based on the heirarchy just might be an incomplete picture. The full picture requires both H and W and some firm guidance, right MM?
Just a thought.
God Bless,
JL
As usual JL, you are correct. On all counts. Your post reminded me of something interesting. If anyone has read the Scriptures carefully, they will notice something about the disciples. There were a few that Jesus kept very close to Him. Why? Well, some reason they had a lot to learn or maybe they were favored. My theory? Well all of the ones that Jesus kept close to Him were known troublemakers. I think He kept them close to keep them from doing stupid stuff. So, maybe that is why men have Jesus as their head. Maybe He NEEDS to keep us close by!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />
Seriously though, you make good points. And I am certain all of those things are part of the reason things are set up the way they are.
I have told this before, but I'll mention it again. In the military there are officers and then there are NCOs (non-commissioned officers---sergeants). I was a First Sergeant. With the Captain, we ran a company of 126 infantry soldiers. Now, while both of us led that company...it was our company...the commander, was ultimately in charge...and might I add, ultimately responsible for EVERYTHING that unit did and didnt do.
Now was that captain better than me? In many ways as a soldier, I was better than him. I had over a decade more experience. I had been where he had not. But, was he a better man just because he was an officer. He was not. As soldiers, we were equal. Same uniform, same weapons, same overall mission. But in that mission, our roles were distinctly different. And guess what? Could the company have done well without me? No. Could they have done well without the captain? No. BOTH were essential to that company succeeding.
As it is in the family with husbands and wives. Wives are NCOs. They are equals. But the husband, as the officer, has been given "command." That means not only does he get to make the final decision, but he is also held responsible for what goes right and/or wrong with the family. Tough stuff. Sometimes, I would look at the captain after he had been raked thru the coals by the battalion commander, and feel sorry for him. And be glad that it wasnt my butt on the line.
Ladies, try having to be responsible to God for your husband and your kids. For what they do, how they turn out. You want that? Really?
There is a two-sided coin when talking about command. It is not what it is all cracked up to be! As my wife once said "I have the easy part...I just have to submit. You, on the otherhand, have to die!"
In His arms.