“Men are afraid of women …”

Reading my denomination’s magazine (By Faith), I was struck to the heart and literally brought to tears. And prayer.

The last article was on the relationships between ordained men in the church and women in the church. There were many wonderful, gospel-saturated aspects to those important relationships.

But two quotes broke my heart (especially, I am sure, because I have seen over and over again–across the nation–how true they can be):

– “Men are afraid of women. We’re often content to be at arms’ length from them.”

– “Some women mistrust the men ordained in leadership over them.”

Both statements reminded me of 1 John 4:18:

Where there is fear, there is not love (because perfect love casts out all fear).

 How I pray that the love of God would so fill each one of us that we would love one another as Christ loves us.

That we would lay down our lives for one another.
Lead. Submit. Listen. Repent. Confess. Forgive.

Praying for the Bride!

Your friend,
Tara B.

[Re-post from 2006]