Job 42: 12 "
So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. After this lived Job a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days."--
I have read the book of Job's many times and every time I see something new and exciting. This time I saw how wonderfully he treated women; his wife, his daughters, and other women. Even though many folks in many cultures look down on women and do not treat them justly, we see a difference in the above scenario from the ending chapter of Job. Many people say that in the old cultures, women were not treated well, as true as that is, I also see that there are recorded scenarios in that few godly, respectful men did treat women well. By all means, I am for the biblical womanhood that is submissive to God's Word and strong and that is why I want to support women to continue to trust God despite what the cultures, communities, and general attitudes dictate to them, putting women down merely because they are women. It is not news for anyone to know that especially in India many girl children are aborted merely and ONLY because the parents and families wanted a boy and the pregnancy reveals that the child is a girl. In my childhood, I heard stories of newly born girls that were drowned in the milk while being bathed. Because we have seen and witnessed daughters being mistreated or made to feel like second-class citizens compared to their sons, we take a stand for girls!
Well, let me say in this current century, my family and I have had an opportunity to attend some huge baby showers where men, women, and children were all present as some of these functions are attended by huge crowds on a social note (nearly a few hundred!) We witnessed something that has remained in my memory. We firmly believe that there should NOT be any biased view or difference of opinion when it comes to welcoming whoever the new child God chooses to give. It is by divine good choice. But during one of the interacting sessions, the master of the ceremony asked a question to all seated. Now mind you these are all living in the 21st century, high upper class, good-looking, 'nice' families and we would 'expect' them to welcome and treat a boy or a girl with the same equality mindset. Sadly, when she asked a question to raise hands to indicate how many thought and hoped that our pregnant friend would have a boy, a super great number of hands went up with lots of hurrahs! This was her first child. But the surprising thing to note was when she asked a question how many would think and wish that it was a girl! None raised their hands or hurrayed except the four of us (my husband, our two daughters, and I). So yes, even in today's culture a lot could be desired in the area of respect and acceptance of a girl child and/or genuine respect for women in general.
My pastor's wife back home in Nairobi shared with me that one day a man refused to take a ride that she offered purely on the basis that it was from a woman and he would not accept a ride from a woman, regardless of how desperate he was. And as recent as now, a husband to a friend of mine in this era and decade here would not accept a ride from a female driver, even today. I do not even need to mention that he does not treat his wife or daughter respectfully. There are cases of friends/relatives who have been bottled up in fear so they do not want to learn to drive at any cost.
In many cases, one can see that often religion is also used to put women in a different category. Once, a counseling believer lady friend pointed out to me that, "Spiritual abuse is a worse humiliation when people misuse Scriptures to make women feel inferior. These women should be encouraged to read God's Holy Word and discern what the deep genuine heart of God the Father really is about, especially when it comes to His daughters!"
When GOD restored all to Job, notice how the Bible records it. He had seven sons and three daughters. Now see how much of info is given on daughters compared to info on his sons, in the culture that looked down on women. This is the biblical womanhood that I am talking about. Straight from the Father's heart. Job displayed what God would do. The names of his daughters are given, their beauty is praised, and the inheritance given along with their brothers is recorded. They are co-heirs with the sons and that is precisely how JESUS treated women and spoke of them in his sermons and preaching. He honors women and offers them the same eternal inheritance. 1 Peter 3 talks about wives being co-heirs of grace.
One of the many things recorded shows God in Job's life and His character is displayed well. Notice, that this man Job honored women and their purity. He said in Job 31: 1,
"I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?" To Job, women were not an eye-candy, objects, or just a child that needed to be raised! No! Job in line with honoring God, honored God's girls similarly.
Job respected his own wife by not deceiving her, or betraying her faith. He honored other women and treated them as valued daughters of God, and he treated his own daughters equal to his sons and as precious gifts from God!
Women of God, our GOD is a God of compassion, and equality, contrary to what any culture imposes on us or wants us to believe or however they treat us. Like Dr. Erwin Lutzer's book title reads, "JESUS, lover of a Woman's Soul", you can read in the Bible how Jesus treated women and how He cares for us even today and knows how we feel; He encourages, supports, and empowers.
Recently, I read on a blog that restated how Jesus used a poor old widow's offering of 2 mites to challenge the most learned and wealthy congregation, how he used a despised and stoned woman to show the sin of their own hearts and hypocritical attitude! In a culture where women's testimony was not even counted as valid, Jesus revealed himself in his resurrected body to women followers. (Many women witnessed this firsthand!) Jesus entrusted these godly women with the huge task of telling this historical event to others. Jesus' earthly ministry was funded by a group of women who supported it from their own meager earnings. He used a persistent widow's pleas to teach a lesson to his disciples to continue to pray. On three different occasions, women anointed Jesus with the most expensive perfumes and each time he had something awesome to talk about these generous women. One was a "sinner" who came crying and he forgave her many sins and taught a lesson to the host, Simon the leper. Six days before Passover it was the Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus in her home where she lived with Martha her sister and her brother Lazarus who was raised from the dead. Then two days before an unknown woman came to anoint Jesus and even though the disciples were indignant, Jesus clearly stated to leave her alone because she had done a beautiful thing, and that wherever the gospel was preached what she did would be told in memory of her. During his journey through Samaria, He opened up a spiritual conversation with a woman who had had 5 husbands. Jesus made sinners feel welcomed enough to come to him but uncomfortable enough with sin within, uncomfortable enough that they confess sins, repent thereof, give up those sins, and accept his forgiveness - making a 180-degree turn in life. And he offers hope and strength to live a pure and holy life.
Learn from Jesus to maneuver your heartache, your pain that no one even cares to know. His life empowers and sets us free to live as a victor in a culture that makes us feel like a victim!
Copyright © KC's Writings, 2010/edited in April 2013.
The Bible verses are taken from the Holy Bible
