Same, but not the same
Is there any truth in the saying that “women cannot assert themselves as well as men, do not have the same power, are too emotional for the big jobs”? Or: “Men don’t think as networked as women and react with passivity or aggression instead of communicating.”
We’re actually different, we “tick” differently.
How often do men and women annoy each other because they are not the same? I think, act and behave often differently than my husband. The frustrated comment: “I don’t understand you” is well known to me and probably to all of us!
Men and women are equal, but not the same. I think this is great and also very important! God created us just like that! And some women have “masculine” behavior patterns and in certain situations some men behave more “feminine” than their wives. Nevertheless men and women tick differently and are not the same. There is indeed a “female” and a “male” way of thinking and acting, even if an exact definition is difficult.
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.” Genesis 2:18 (GW)
The Hebrew word that is translated here as helper can also be translated as “powerful ally”. The same word is used for God in the Old Testament. Someone who helps me can usually do something where I need assistance and cannot do it myself.
Adam needed help and God created help for him. (from: Loren Cunningham. Why Not Women?) From this I understand that men and women complement each other so that only together they reflect the full spectrum of God (in their human magnitude)!
God has created us in such a way that together we achieve the best results – in all areas of society! God wasn’t happy with Adam alone. He was not excited about his creation until he made Eve. By the way, the same would have happened if he had created Eve first. It needed Adam as well to satisfy God, because we are different and only in the sum we are the image of God.
In the sketch below, I have listed characteristics that tend to be associated more with women or men. Our ways of acting and thinking complement each other. The listed characteristics are examples to show the principle.
All areas of society where women and men work together will be more balanced and function better than just with men or just with women!
There are repeatedly situations where my husband and I clash and he says: “I don’t understand you” (the tendency is for my husband to say this). Especially then it is good not to give up frustrated, but to talk and try to see “the other side”. If my partner thinks differently, this does not necessarily mean that he or she is wrong! I can learn so much when I get to know other ways of thinking!
I can appreciate other people for their strengths, the way God does. What use would it be if you thought and acted exactly the same as I did? First of all, it would be terribly boring, and secondly, we will achieve much more when your and my talents and ways of thinking work together. I am much more motivated to cooperate with you because I need you and you need me.
God did a great job making men and women. He wants me to see the sometimes “strange, annoying behaviour” of the opposite sex not as inferior but as complementary! I get to appreciate men for their strengths, ways of thinking and behaviour because they are different. Men and women are strong together – not only in marriage! God has made us exactly that way so that we need interaction, we help each other and are strong together.
