Men and Women

Men and women are not created equal, but they are created equally. No, that is not just a play on words. To be "created equal" means that there are no essential differences. That is not the case. After all, women have the amazing gift of being able to bring life into the world. Men cannot do that; men are called to do the protecting and providing stuff--which is still important, but not in the same way.

When, however, I say that men and women are "created equally", that means that God did not create either as an afterthought, or inconsequential extra. He did not create one and then the other; "He created them male and female" (as it says in Genesis). It also means that everything that needs to be equal between them is so; like being heirs to eternal salvation (cf. 1 Peter 3:7). There are many other things that are created "equally" between them, but that is the subject for another post.

The unequal creation aspects of men and women have much to do with what is good for their well being. What is good for a man is determined by God and it is not always the same thing that is good for a woman. There are certain things that every man needs (regardless of whether they know it or even like it) that a woman can easily do without, and visa versa. Likewise, there are certain habits and behaviors that are good for men that are not necessarily good for women and visa versa.

More to follow...