People like the better things.  I admit, some things are better than others.  There are donuts and then there are donuts.  There are shoes and then there are shoes. Some items are made out of higher quality ingredients. They tend to be better.

You may even call them superior.

But what about people?

I recently had a conversation with a really good man who is a solid believer. In the conversation, however, he felt the need to mention that Adam was created by God prior to Eve about six times. 

Yes, he was right. This is true. Adam was created first and then God said, “It isn’t good for man to be alone.” Something was needed. Someone was needed. Woman was needed. Eve. The Helper Completer. The one who made all of creation named GOOD. The one who Adam would need in order to save his life. The one man would need in order to have their lives saved. Remember, the mandate to have a fierce mastery over the earth was given in Genesis to both Adam and Eve together. It’s going to take both of them. 

In order for the Kingdom of God to advance as it is meant to advance, it’s going to take all of the church working together. Not half of it. The feminine half is needed.

Yes and Amen. What I sensed after my conversation with this man, who I really enjoyed by the way, was that underneath his particular stressing that man was created first was the belief that men are therefore superior to women.

Superior to women. 

And hasn’t that been strewn into religions and cultures from time immemorial? IT ISN’T TRUE.

(Boy, does the rampant nature of that thought make me mad. Yes, it’s okay to be mad at unrighteousness.)

Women have been told that they are inferior to men throughout history, and this message remains woven throughout our culture in both blatant and subtle ways. It’s not a message from our Jesus—who elevated women powerfully and continues to do so—it is a message from the pit of Hell designed to keep women from offering their powerful and passionate hearts and lives as they are created to do.

Women readers, mercy to you right now. Is there a place you would like to be offering that you have yet had the courage to do? Is there something you are passionate about that you have yet begun to step into? Do you know that you are designed to play an irreplaceable role in the world you inhabit in order to bring Jesus? The Kingdom of God needs you. Offering your unique gifting is superior to hiding it out of fear or intimidation. Coming alive to the reality that you are the Beloved of Christ—a channel of his very being—is superior to not knowing his love and presence in your life as he so desires.

Awake, awake, O Zion,
clothe yourself with strength.
Put on your garments of splendor, 
O Jerusalem, the holy city....
Shake off your dust; rise up,
sit enthroned, O Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck, 
O captive Daughter of Zion. (Isaiah 52)

Realizing that there are subtle ways both men and women diminish the roles that women play, are meant to play, and instead choosing to encourage them is superior to thoughtlessly agreeing with the enemy and somehow thinking women are inferior to men.

I am blessed to live in the company of good men and women who recognize the essential role that women play in every dimension of life. The hidden places and the seen places. The behind the scene places and the up-front places. The places that go mostly unnoticed and the places that are applauded. It all matters, friends. And God sees it all and champions your heart.

Let’s champion one another’s as well. That is the superior way.