Here's what a typical what-are-you-doing-in-college discussion with regular people goes like for me:
Person: "So, what are you studying?"
Me: "Oh, I'm a government major."
Person: "Oh, cool."
Me: "Yep."
Then there's that one special person who didn't seem to get the regular person memo.
Not-regular person: "So, what are you studying?"
Me: "Oh, I'm a government major."
Not-regular person: "Oh. Now, where do you see yourself fitting into that world, as a woman and all?"
Me: "..............." [but mentally I'm going, get a life, moron.]
In all seriousness, however, it is a question I have been wrestling with since I started in this direction. I plan on writing a post that directly answers my thoughts on women in government, but for now, consider this a taste of something that's been in my heart for a while.
Within the Christian arena, the question of appropriate workplaces and career options for men and women has been one of lively discussion. The general consensus states that men belong in the workplace, women belong in the home.
Now, I realize that's an extremely oversimplified statement; women are also welcome in other areas of life such as ministry and missions, the medical field, teaching, the arts, and much more. And before anyone comes at me with a pitchfork, I'll be the first to say that I will never disagree that a woman's place is the home, primarily when there's a husband and children involved.
The problem I have with questions and statements that seek to relegate certain spheres of society and life to men and the others to women is that they completely miss the point of what Christian men and women should ultimately be seeking. The debate was never meant to be about if it's okay for a woman to work in Wall Street. Instead, the defining question of the Christian's life is whether she will live in continual sacrifice and surrender to the will of her Father, deeming His call and guidance, no matter how out-of-the-box it is, to be greater than a man-made list of "yes" and "no."
From the beginning of time, God has been in the business of turning peoples' worlds upside down. God has the best adventures out there for you. He's really fun, really exciting, and really excited for you and Him to do life together. But too often, our ideas of what we think is good for us, what we think we should do, what we think we shouldn't do, and our sometimes-faulty interpretation of His Word and direct words to us get in the way of experiencing everything He has in store.
I've been there and still am there in a way. I was the girl who grew up with the stay-at-home-daughter stuff my whole life and ended up freaking out when the Lord started pointing in a different direction that had nothing domestic to it. I've never wanted to be a career woman. I hope studying and working in something as big as government won't scare a guy off from falling in love with me. Yet, as much as I know this goes against every "good girl" stereotype, I also know that losing yourself to the leading, promptings, calling of God brings such peace, assurance, and new faith and hope in His promise that He will complete what He has begun. Right now and forever, my job is to follow Him wherever He leads, no matter how scary, intimidating, anti-what-I-thought-was-supposed-to-happen it is. He'll work out the rest of the kinks.
Maybe you don't have a desire to be in something big like politics or business. It could just be feeling a nudge to help out at the local shelter; getting a job some place other than the family business; traveling abroad; doing foster care or even adopting a kid even though marriage isn't in view yet; taking some classes at the community college; moving out; or getting some hands-on experience in a field you're interested in and setting up an internship. Or it could be the call to be single, whether for a season or for life.
There are so many molds, so many ideals we as women hold ourselves to. I have seen so many girls struggle with where they know the Lord has called them to all for the sake of trying to fit a stereotype that they were never born to fill. I'm not here to bash any traditional thinking, nor do I have a desire to think for you; if you haven't already, you and God need to come to grips about this stuff together by yourselves.
Yet, I put to you, in the grand scheme of eternity, how now shall we live? As women of God, we are called to live in the fear of the One who has saved us, given us a hope and a future, who every day invites us to explore the vast expanse of the world and life hand-in-hand with Him. We can't fully do that if we are still trying to cling to every whim and notion of someone else's idea of how life should turn out.
Drop the façades. Reject the invitation to the masquerade and seize the opportunity to live each day to the fullest with Abba as your Shepherd and Friend. He's a safe One to explore new territory with and He will take you on the greatest adventure possible, fulfilling every promise and every desire your heart has ever known.
Person: "So, what are you studying?"
Me: "Oh, I'm a government major."
Person: "Oh, cool."
Me: "Yep."
Then there's that one special person who didn't seem to get the regular person memo.
Not-regular person: "So, what are you studying?"
Me: "Oh, I'm a government major."
Not-regular person: "Oh. Now, where do you see yourself fitting into that world, as a woman and all?"
Me: "..............." [but mentally I'm going, get a life, moron.]
In all seriousness, however, it is a question I have been wrestling with since I started in this direction. I plan on writing a post that directly answers my thoughts on women in government, but for now, consider this a taste of something that's been in my heart for a while.
Within the Christian arena, the question of appropriate workplaces and career options for men and women has been one of lively discussion. The general consensus states that men belong in the workplace, women belong in the home.
Now, I realize that's an extremely oversimplified statement; women are also welcome in other areas of life such as ministry and missions, the medical field, teaching, the arts, and much more. And before anyone comes at me with a pitchfork, I'll be the first to say that I will never disagree that a woman's place is the home, primarily when there's a husband and children involved.
The problem I have with questions and statements that seek to relegate certain spheres of society and life to men and the others to women is that they completely miss the point of what Christian men and women should ultimately be seeking. The debate was never meant to be about if it's okay for a woman to work in Wall Street. Instead, the defining question of the Christian's life is whether she will live in continual sacrifice and surrender to the will of her Father, deeming His call and guidance, no matter how out-of-the-box it is, to be greater than a man-made list of "yes" and "no."
From the beginning of time, God has been in the business of turning peoples' worlds upside down. God has the best adventures out there for you. He's really fun, really exciting, and really excited for you and Him to do life together. But too often, our ideas of what we think is good for us, what we think we should do, what we think we shouldn't do, and our sometimes-faulty interpretation of His Word and direct words to us get in the way of experiencing everything He has in store.
I've been there and still am there in a way. I was the girl who grew up with the stay-at-home-daughter stuff my whole life and ended up freaking out when the Lord started pointing in a different direction that had nothing domestic to it. I've never wanted to be a career woman. I hope studying and working in something as big as government won't scare a guy off from falling in love with me. Yet, as much as I know this goes against every "good girl" stereotype, I also know that losing yourself to the leading, promptings, calling of God brings such peace, assurance, and new faith and hope in His promise that He will complete what He has begun. Right now and forever, my job is to follow Him wherever He leads, no matter how scary, intimidating, anti-what-I-thought-was-supposed-to-happen it is. He'll work out the rest of the kinks.
Maybe you don't have a desire to be in something big like politics or business. It could just be feeling a nudge to help out at the local shelter; getting a job some place other than the family business; traveling abroad; doing foster care or even adopting a kid even though marriage isn't in view yet; taking some classes at the community college; moving out; or getting some hands-on experience in a field you're interested in and setting up an internship. Or it could be the call to be single, whether for a season or for life.
There are so many molds, so many ideals we as women hold ourselves to. I have seen so many girls struggle with where they know the Lord has called them to all for the sake of trying to fit a stereotype that they were never born to fill. I'm not here to bash any traditional thinking, nor do I have a desire to think for you; if you haven't already, you and God need to come to grips about this stuff together by yourselves.
Yet, I put to you, in the grand scheme of eternity, how now shall we live? As women of God, we are called to live in the fear of the One who has saved us, given us a hope and a future, who every day invites us to explore the vast expanse of the world and life hand-in-hand with Him. We can't fully do that if we are still trying to cling to every whim and notion of someone else's idea of how life should turn out.
Drop the façades. Reject the invitation to the masquerade and seize the opportunity to live each day to the fullest with Abba as your Shepherd and Friend. He's a safe One to explore new territory with and He will take you on the greatest adventure possible, fulfilling every promise and every desire your heart has ever known.
1 comment:
Rock. On.
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