Just For Men

Is it me or does it seem like every 30 seconds another male in power is accused of sexual harassment? I believe in “innocent until proven guilty” but the sheer number of stories in the media plus the number of persons and stories that are not sensational enough for the media to cover reveal that women have been facing a huge problem for some time. So men, let’s take a moment and remember some important facts.

  1. Women are not objects. God created each woman. He finds each woman worth dying for. They are not objects, they are images of God.
  2. Women do not exist to satisfy your fantasies. Too many men have had their understanding of sex and sexuality shaped by the pornography industry. It should not surprise our culture that men sexualize women when it is what our culture teaches. Regardless, it is still wrong to view women as existing to fulfill your fantasies. 
  3. It doesn’t matter if you think your advances are welcome, if you are not married to her, keep your eyes, ears, mouth, feet and hands pure and platonic. Responding to accusations by saying, “I thought it was what she wanted” is barbaric and reveals how morally corrupt you are. 
  4. If you are married to her, she is still not an object and she still does not exist to fulfill your fantasies. She is still an image of God who should be treated with dignity, respect, Christlike love and honor. Present her daily to God as one without blemish or defect. Anything less is  a travesty to the Kingdom of God.
  5. Women are crucial to our understanding of who God is. If we don’t view women correctly, we will fail to have a correct understanding of who God is.

So, what are some things we can we do to make a change for the better?

  1. Guard your heart. If you don’t know how to do that, please know that the Bible says that what goes in the senses will eventually come out of our heart. Don’t let crap in and crap won’t come out. (Yes, this issue hacks me off.)
  2. Teach your sons how to view and treat women Biblically. Women are to be treated with honor, dignity and respect. What they are wearing does not give us cause to treat them as objects or to cast judgment on them. A pure, or impure, heart will impact what we see when we see a woman.
  3. Teach your sons how to respect their mother / sisters. My son opens the door for my wife if I don’t. He doesn’t do it all the time but he is learning how to respect a woman and treat her with dignity. If our sons don’t respect their mom how will they respect any woman.
  4. Celebrate the role of women in scripture and life in your home. Rejoice at what God has done in and through women in the Bible. Rejoice at what God is doing through women today. If you are in a position of authority, make sure you give women as many opportunities to serve and lead as men. 
  5. Challenge your brothers in Christ when women are devalued, when inappropriate jokes are told or when you hear comments about women that are wrong. Very few of us have lived without blame. If we hold each other accountable to a high standard, we will all be better for it and the women around us will not have any cause to be concerned. If you say something you shouldn’t, apologize immediately. 
  6. Teach your daughters that their value comes from one place - God. Teach them what God thinks of them. Make sure they know they are worth dying for. As much as you are able in the power of the Holy Spirit, love them like God loves them.

There is a lot I could have said that is not contained here. However, this is a starting point for us.  I hope we will lead the way in creating an environment where women can be celebrated for their inherent God-given value. I want to lead the way and pray that God would make me aware of my own prejudices and views about others that need reshaped by Christ.