A Woman’s Work.

Do you ever feel like there is a work that is particularly woman?
OR
That there is a thought out there (or many thoughts) about what YOUR work as a woman ought to look like?

I thrive on conversation that produces new thoughts. I actually enjoy it more than chocolate or massages (though, both good and delicious things). And, as I am moving toward motherhood, I have begun to realize how many conversations circulate about what women can or cannot do/should or should not do/want to do and don’t want to do – and how their identity is shaped by all of these conversations, expectations and pressures.

So, here are 3 tid-bits I gleaned this week, nuggets to chew on and process, from very wise and interesting women and men:

1. A quote:

“I don’t want to be told I cannot do this because I am a woman or I have to do this because I am a woman.“

Is this something that strikes you?

2. The Tripod of Creational Relationship:

As a man, you can think of yourself in terms of various roles and none of them are mutually exclusive. For example, if you are a businessman, you may also be a husband, and you may also be a father. 

It is the potential tripod of relationship on which you stand. All are considered equally important, valuable and good. Of course you may be a husband and a businessman, or janitor, or pastor or painter. Why would being a husband exclude your vocational calling?

Of course you may also be a father and a musician, photographer, CEO or DJ. You may run construction, or teach swimming lessons, be a professor or a therapist. 

It is understood, for men, that there is a trifecta of relationship that is acceptable, if not expected. Husband, Father, Vocation.

For women, however, we tend to understand ourselves in terms of a relational bi-pod or monopod. It looks something like this.

• Vocation.
• Wife and Vocation.
• Wife and mother.

Mother and vocation are interchangeable and almost a synonymous. Your motherhood IS your vocation. 

Do you ever feel like this? Does this ring true to you? Do you feel pressure to either accept or deny this? What are your thoughts on the roles available to women?

3. A Creational Illustration – The Image of God:

There are two ways to conceive of the image of God.

1. Only man and woman in unity fully image God.
2. Each individual fully images God.

I can see both sides to this idea, but for the sake of argument I will say this:

First, The name of image-bearer was given in the midst of gender distinction, but not divided by this distinction. It says he created “man” as the whole in his own image. And moves to state that male and female are in his image.

Secondly, we must consider that an individual reflects the image of God with as much importance and celebrated dignity as the unity of male and female.

Lastly, it is important not to divide God’s image into particular characteristics – these are the feminine parts of God, these are the masculine parts of God.

Why does this matter?

Because the creational mandate prior to the fall was to flourish/work and multiply. It was a two-fold mandate given equally to each image-bearing person, in a non-discriminate way.

Not – YOU, man work. And you LADY, multiply. But with mutuality – flourish/work and multiply. Consequently, the call to a vocation, husband/wife, father/mother, was a dual call – giving weight and dignity to both persons for all three aspects – not making the three exclusive of each other or synonymous of each other, but individual yet interdependent.

Do you feel like the image of God is divided between genders? Do you feel like a woman must choose between her created vocational sensibilities and motherhood? Do you think that her created vocational sensibilities become motherhood? How do you reconcile your gifting and abilities as you pursue or think about the different roles a woman? Do you feel like motherhood and vocation are pitted against themselves?