H. Apise
This morning I am so excited to share about men and women, both are the beautiful creation of God, equal in creation yet different. I would like to share in gist about the burning issues in our Naga society. We see many allegations about the male chauvinistic from one side by women and other sides of the wall male have its own version about women weakness. Christian must let the bible define our boundary even in our culture as well our own living ethos.
Jesus Christ and Gender discrimination
The prayer of Rabbi Judah Ben Elai, written in about 150 AD, “ One must utter three doxological every day, praise God that he did not create me a heathen! Praise God that he did not create me a women! Praise God that he did not create me an illiterate person.” That is how the Jewish people see the women; yet let’s see how Jesus views not how male see women.
Alexander strauch, in his book, Men and women equal yet different, give us some of the central issue of gender. Jesus Christ taught that man and women are equal yet different, he treated all woman even those who were consider to be the outcast of society with dignity. (LUKE 7:36 – 50). God’s male – female role distinction in order for sexes to beautifully complement each other and to exercise different function in society is God’s good intent for gender distinctions , sin has corrupted such distinction and made them a cause for discrimination “All these evils things come from within.”(Mark 7: 23)
Some Pharisees came to Jesus testing him and asking is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all (Matthew 19;3-5) male-centered divorce practice during his time. Jesus used Genesis 1 and 2 as his answer. In book of Genesis 1 both were created equally. He created human race male and female, they were created equal in his image. Both of them were commanded to multiply.
Jack Cottrell says about Genesis 2, “ All the action and events revolve around the man..he occupies the center stage. Everything else, including the woman has a supporting role.” God created Adam first. Formed the woman out of the man. Created the woman for the man. Name the right to name the woman, God created the man and woman equal in nature. After the fall and we see sin a widen of the chasm of the battle of sexes.
Jesus was non traditionalist he was not afraid to challenge male traditions nor the hard-headed defender of male-acted tradition. Prized male tradition of divorce not to committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5.27,28) Jesus and Samaritan women (John 4: 9-27) Jesus publicly commended Mary once to sat on his feet (Luke 10:42) and everyone totally misunderstood the kindness for anointing him for burial (john12:1-8)Band of loyal woman (Luke 8:1-3.)Mary Magdalena and other woman had the distinct honor of being the first people to see Jesus after his resurrection.(john 20: 1) To love one another. (John 13: 34).
Celebrate the difference between male and female.
1. Men and Women equal but different, God gave one Adam and one eve.
2. God gave Adam to tend and care the garden, Eve means the life giver, to nurture, to love and to be more gentle as well romantic. Generally men are stronger than women but in shopping women are stronger than male flock.
3. Men muscles are about 40% of the body, women muscles are about 25% of the body.
4. Men has about ½ the gallon of the blood in their body, women has about 4/5 gallon of the body. The body temperature varies.
5. Men have larger lung capacity, so they are good are athletic. Women have better immune system so they outlive men.
6. At the age of 20 women health deteriorated by 2% (two). At the age of 20 Men health deteriorated by 10%.
7. There are two brain hemisphere, left brain consist of reason, logical, factual objective and calculation, right brain consist of feeling, emotional, sympathy, love and intuition. Men primarily use the left side of brain but women use both side of the brain.
8. Women have very sensitive radar and emotional but men are more reasonable. Women have greater verbal skills and can express her emotional well. Women are more detail but men take step by step decision making.
9. Michael Collin said in a single day men can speak average about 25, 000 (twenty five thousand words). Women speak about 30,000 (Thirty thousand words).
10. Men are achievers and women are lovers basically.
May be sometime we failed to understand each other and makes lots of fusion and hullabaloo. We better listen to one another because we all need each other! “Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so loves his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respect her husband.” (Eph 5: 33)
Harper says, “Jesus Christ came to show the right way, the way of co-operation, not competition, the way of peace, not war, between the sexes. He did not come to change the created order, which includes the headship of man and the submission of woman but rather to transform by his love and grace, so that what God created can be redeemed and function properly. If we don’t find this way, then both man and women will be the loser, and the truth will be hidden from the world.”
Many a time we wants our mother help and yet set aside her in decision making at large for our society and that need deeper reflection. Women supererogatory deeds must be acknowledge by the naga leadership and by the male flock.
The Bible must be our yard stick to get justice as well our daily guide for our own male dominated society. If Naga Hoho and ENPO reject the reservation policy of government about upliftment of the women. It must need to readdress in future for the betterment of our society at large. Naga people need leadership who can lead us if not one of the sour bunch grapes of leadership is sprout in Nagaland tree. You cannot trust any political party because all their foundation is lies, which people are part of it.
Preserving our tradition does not means if some women were given an opportunity they will do away all the tradition which are sacred as well prized by the Naga society at large. Today if all the 60 MLAs use their veto power, any bill on women’s right, there will come a time when women can take a leadership role in future. I hope to see few women MLA within few decades because that is a necessity in our society because they are doing well and men flock must applause their effort not just ostriches them.
No 4/5 majority of Naga Hoho or ENPO can erase the leadership skills that has been ordained by God to led in their own capacity our naga society. Male flock insecurity might be one of the main hindrances for our society to grow. I hope society will be less corrupted if leadership is led by women. Women leadership has much better result because she has a heart of mother in her leading.
To love God first and to love our fellow men and women as we love ourselves! We are all equal yet different!
(The above is the sermon preached at Sangtam B/ Church Purana Bazar, Dimapur on 16 Sept, 2012)
