Only The Women?

Acts 16:9-15

I find it very interesting that in today's passage Paul and his travelers try to find a place of prayer on the Sabbath day and, going to a place where there is supposed to be one, decide to speak to the women who are gathered there. I find it interesting not that they speak to the women, rather I find it interesting that the men aren't even mentioned. Which brings up my question for the day - Where are the men of today, and how important is the role of the woman in today's society?

My wife and I talked about how the roles of men and women are blurring more and more with each passing year. She sees this at a more basic level, being a kindergarten teacher and I see this at a more advanced level, being a high school worker. She sees how the girls are becoming the ones who take more risks, question authority more, and do things my wife is more accustomed to a little boy doing.

I see how young women are harder workers, smarter, and take their successes and failures with more pride than young men. I also see how the two are represented in a relationship. While I'll be the first to admit my wife is the boss of the family, I can also tell you I'm the decision maker. I will make decisions which we both agree on most of the time, but on rare occasions I will make a decision she doesn't like. I know the decision is what's best for the family in the long run, or believe I know, and for a few days there's quiet in the house, but when we can sit and talk and work through the decision that was made we both understand where the other is coming from and can accept the decision a little easier. In that way our relationship is actually one based in equality.

Today's younger relationships are lacking the same level of input, leaving the woman to be the sole decision-maker. I see this fact putting extra pressures on the young woman to a point where it's actually better to not be in a relationship at all.

I don't mean to imply the men should make all the decisions in a relationship, what I do mean to say is that the male's role is beginning to diminish. A relationship works best when the people involved work together to accomplish a goal. It doesn't matter whether the relationship is heterosexual, homosexual, business, or friendly, what is needed is a speaking and listening of all points of view within the relationship and someone to make the final decision based on those points of view.

The same is with our relationship with God. If we open ourselves to listening to what God is asking us to do and be willing to have a conversation about it, we will be able to make a good decision based on how we will best be able to serve God.