JUST A THOUGHT
John the Beloved, also known as John the Revelator, started his second epistle to a woman in the church. For us in the twenty-first century, that’s no big deal. We send emails, letters, and phone calls to everyone. We’re not looking at the gender of a person when giving correspondence or information. To us, we have something to offer, suggest, or order, and that information is relayed to whoever needs to hear it. However, when we look at the church in the first century, life was a little different. Often, women were barely seen and, most of the time, ordered not to be heard. However, John saw through this and wrote this letter to address someone of high standing in the church because, to him, that’s who needed to see his message.
There were women in the New Testament who served in the church with courage and determination. For example, Paul introduced Phoebe to the church in Rome. “I’m introducing our sister Phoebe to you, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae. Welcome her in the Lord in a way that is worthy of God’s people, and give her whatever she needs from you, because she herself has been a sponsor of many people, myself included.” Romans 16:1-2 CEB. Regarding Priscilla, Paul had this to say about the effect of her ministry on his life. “So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” Romans 18:26 NKJV. To the church in Philippi, Paul had this request. “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.” Philippians 4:2-3 HCSB.
When looking at Paul’s various letters, we can see the importance of how he regarded women in the church. Paul spoke about women, using them as an example to follow, learning from them, and even helping those in need. Paul saw what could happen when people, regardless of gender, work together and do not use their differences to break them apart. There is another story of how special one woman was to the church, and they reached out to Peter for help.
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. She was always doing good works and acts of charity. In those days she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who begged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” So, Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.” Acts 9:36-41 HCSB.
In this story, Tabitha is so important that they show the receipts of her good work to one of God’s servants. They did not want her to perish, even though her time might have been up. God, in His mercy, worked through Peter and raised her back up so she could continue her work. Truly, this was someone important, and it did not matter that she was a woman.
Even more women in the church during this time were regarded as great leaders of faith and the action of love. This was despite the fact that there are texts in the Bible where women are called upon to be silent so men can lead under certain circumstances. Some obviously would have taken this to different extremes, but the women mentioned in Romans, Acts, and Philippians found a way to be helpful.
All people are needed to help build God’s kingdom and make an excellent world, country, and community. For some reason, on social media, the internet, and in public places, there is a negative storyline being produced that men and women don’t need each other. A host with his show talks to people on the street, and usually, the people have been served strong beverages and loudly proclaim how they don’t need each other. When asked for a reason, some mumblings make no sense and only offer humorous yet nauseating responses in the comment sections of those videos. There are a variety of shows and talking heads speaking about the negativity of both genders as though the one they belong to could do no wrong. This constant pessimism makes it hard for anyone to try to be a better person, connect, or build trust. Instead, people are looking for reasons to hate each other while the creators of many of these shows grow their bank accounts. We, who are called to be representatives of Christ, need to reject this negativity and embrace our purpose.
When writing to believers, Peter had this to encourage the Christians living amongst people who did not share their beliefs, habits, or mindset. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 HCSB. Peter encouraged the people to realize their self-worth and how a relationship with Jesus means they are different. We don’t have to continue to spit out the vile hatred and divisiveness that is spewed from platform to platform. Instead, let us be different. Many will call you names, say you’re weak, or that you’re part of the system. Good. Let them. Be the person who recognizes the value of whoever is doing what God calls them to do. Do not rely on antiquated mindsets of where people should be or how they should act. We even see that looking at the church over two thousand years ago, they saw that all people are valuable to God. So, it is today.
This entire book, “The Truth,” is a study of the second letter written by John to a church. It will go over many truths that range over various ways we should live our lives and warnings for those who will lead us astray. Peter told the church long ago that we are called out of darkness. So many in society are in the dark and screaming the loudest with their actions that they want others to join them in their thinking. Regardless of what they say, always stand on what God states in your life. Use Jesus as the one who will inform you on which person is making the contributions that God desires. Some people who will positively impact your life will be men others will be women. Regardless of who they are, know that God has something special for everyone and has created them with a purpose. Nonetheless, this counts not only for them but for you as well. You are designed to be excellent, not based on the standards of those in this world. You are created to be a chosen, royal, and holy person due to the guidelines God has set in your life.
