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It must be nice to have the luxury to debate these issues
“the Biblical vision of gender”
Rebekah wrote a post that connected with immediacy and clarity.
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We are rich in time and, boy oh boy, how we like to waste this wealth! We are rich enough in time to sit and verbally spar with each other. We are rich enough in time to dump static opinion and beliefs over each other. We are rich enough in time enough to examine spiritual “belly-button-fluff” over which we obsess.
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Riches are referred to in the bible over which we obsess.
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And I have found that wealth is taken literally. Riches are “stuff” of money and purchase. A big car. A fine house. The best jewels. The finest wine. All “stuff” we can hold and touch and count and store.
Yet I am rich in so many ways that is nothing to do with I can hold and touch.
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A family living in a place of safety. A family living in good health. A family living with excellent and free healthcare 24/7. A family who takes for granted three meals a day. The freedom to write words like this and press send to the whole world. The freedom to be bored, to be restless, to be distracted, to be yearning and spontaneous. The freedom to live as I wish constrained only by my fears and timidity.
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It must be nice to have the luxury to debate these issues.
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The bible for me becomes ever more simple, ever more connected, ever more immediate. Call it what you will, debate it as you will … dismiss it as you will … for me there is one great truth that is rejected ONLY if I fear this truth:
‘Love them, me AND you. Unconditionally.”
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What is to fear?
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Well I used to fear love.
I used to fear not controlling, not measuring, not counting, not receiving, not being in charge. I used to fear losing all those “riches” I thought of as “love”. I relied on rules and law and commandments.
Because if I was going to treat you okay I wanted an enforceable contract that said you were going to be grateful and that you were going to treat me okay. But I wanted a contract with get-out clauses.
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Like … familiarity breeds contempt. Like … the grass is always greener on the other side. Like … what I found attractive in you now repels me. Like … I reserve the right to count whether or not you give me more than I give you. And the biggie …
It’s only wrong if you catch me in the act
(and even then it’s your fault I felt the need to do it)
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And all of “that” is NOT fear … ?
All of that we think IS “love” … ?
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It must be nice to have the luxury to debate these issues.
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‘Love them, me AND you. Unconditionally.”
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Riches are riches.
I am wealthy.
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What am I doing with this truth?
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Church Set Free 
Reblogged this on Just me being curious and commented:
From Rebekah’s post:
“My sister recently had the chance to talk with a missionary wife who serves with her husband in dangerous parts of the middle east. My sister asked the wife what her thoughts were and what churches taught over there regarding gender roles in the home and church. The wife responded very simply saying, “It must be nice to have the luxury to debate these issues.” The Christian men in their communities were warring with ISIS. While the men were either being killed or called away from home, it was the women who were left to run the households and keep the work of the churches going.”
Why do we never think that having all this time … much of which is spent picking holes in this verse … in that passage … weighing up this commandment against that “qualification” (or get-out clause)… Why do we never think of all that as wealth – as riches?
Why not have a read – we all have the time! 🙂
Thank you –
Paul
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