It seems to me that the percentage of women who abuse the privilege of power is small. It’s certainly not as high as the percentage of men who misuse power on a much broader scale.
But men who are hearing from God in these days of fresh outpouring are learning to observe, listen, and evaluate as the feminine voice provides the missing pieces and fills in the gap in understanding the unfolding of God’s divine purpose and will.
The rib taken from Adam was built into an entire support system that would reflect God’s glory in every arena ventured into. Men and women were designed to rule over all the works of the Creator’s hands, both in the garden and outside the garden.
The garden was the sanctuary. The first man and the first woman each had a responsibility to beautify the sanctuary and then extend it to the four corners of the globe. In open and honest dialogue they were to find new ways of viewing reality because they learned how to see creation and its workings through each other’s eyes. They were to collaborate in the process of heavenizing the earth.
Ironically, in today’s corporate world opportunities for dialogue–that is, shared and open conversation–abound between men and women. New and emerging models of leadership and influence are moving on the cutting edge of transforming businesses and organizations. “Empowerment” and “intimacy” are becoming buzz words in business society.
Compassion in the workplace was unheard of as a hot topic just one generation ago. Developing a vision of shared values where everyone feels he or she is a part and has a vital stake in the ultimate outcome wasn’t even considered necessary in the global arena three decades ago. Wouldn’t it be tragic if the secular arena modeled collaboration between men and women more effectively than the church?
Throughout the story of redemptive history we see vignettes of God’s intention to reveal the fullness of His glory through the collaboration and connection between men and women. When abusive authority oppressed the elect of God it was often the subtle and seemingly weaker vessel that became the key to deliverance.
Didn’t Deborah say that the evil oppressor Sisera would die at the hands of a woman? (See Judg. 4:9.) During the heat of battle, as his men were being overcome by the Israelite army, Sisera got off his horse, fled on foot and sought refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber. Jael drove the spike into the head of the enemy and crushed his skull (see Judg. 4:17-22).
Did Jael have authority? Not really. But she did have influence. While the battle raged not far from her tent, the victory was decided at her hand. It was prophesied that the crushing of the serpent’s head and the destruction of the serpent’s seed would be the direct result of what a woman had seeded into the situation (see Gen. 3:15).
When God wanted to initiate change in the nation of Israel, He asked for individuals who could get in touch with the feeling side of pain and bring it to speech to alter the flow of history. God, through the prophet Jeremiah, asked for the weeping women (see Jer. 9:17-22).
We don’t value tears much in situations in which we desire to be in control. Yet the power of God is revealed in the weak things that fly in the face of Adam’s broken image. Jeremiah himself had his entire ministry of influence built on his weakness and propensity for tears (see Jer. 9:1).
The Richness of Collaboration Men and women will never be complete without each other. While at times we need to segregate, having meetings for women and meetings for men, we don’t need to rob ourselves of the richness we’ll find when we join together as co-laborers in the kingdom. Then we can manifest God’s glory in the church and in the world.
A world grasping for power, yet out of control, requires a church that is not afraid to be touchable, connected and flowing in a river bigger than our individual identity.
I strongly believe it’s the intention and heart of our Father that in this new era we begin to appreciate the dynamic that occurs when men and women collaborate for the sake of healing and empowering the nations. We must let the nations see the whole gospel modeled and see that transparency and honesty prevail in our relationships as men and women.
The fresh renewing we are experiencing in these days is ultimately intended to bring us to the true demonstration of God’s power and the unspeakable joy of connecting by being present to one another. Our willingness to drink deeply at each other’s wells will be the deciding factor in our ability to experience all God has for the nations as well as for our personal lives.
In the Son of Man we see the balance of logic and emotion, reason and feeling. In Him we see man-made cultural rules being broken and women having a place of influence along with the twelve.
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