It hasn't been until recently that I've really experienced the difficulty and frustration and sometimes injustice of not only being a woman, but being a woman in ministry.
It's like riding a bike in a race, but needing/being forced to pedal twice as hard only to just catch up.
Now let me state - I know not ALL men find themselves in this category. But there are some that do. I'm grateful for those who affirm women in leadership within the body. I'm grateful that Jesus chose to model affirming women back in the day. Eat that pharisees. The brother knows what's up.
I have heard women before me in InterVarsity share about their experiences of being a woman on staff. Women who have paved the way for people like me. Some of their stories of things men/churches have said to them and/or done to them are intense and very painful. I've had a few experiences myself, which really suck.
I'm proud to work for an organization that so deeply wants to see the university redeemed. I'm proud to work for an organization that affirms and genuinely cares for women in leadership. The history of IV is full of women who stepped up to the plate when God called them to go. I'm proud and humbled to stand with those women.
Women need men to stand up and advocate for them. Men need women to love and support them - to stand in their corner. We need to lift one another up as a God-honoring community committed to advancing the kingdom. We need to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. We need to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought.
Today while at the library I was walking in the parking lot and saw the ever-so-famous quote on a bumper sticker that says: "Well behaved women rarely make history." I have to say that sticker used to motivate me ... and I think still does. I don't know if I completely agree with it's implications/methodology, but it does get me going. I don't think I need to behave badly to make history ... but I do know that I need to act and DO something to impact the world & God's kingdom as a woman. I'm no side-line sitter. God's called me to represent on his team and play. So I'm gonna.
This rant was definitely more than a minute. Oops!
Amen, sister.. Behaving "badly" in that sense sometimes means behaving in an unexpected way that goes against inequitable social norms. It must be particularly difficult in ministry where you can't exactly go the so-called 'feminist' route, but you still have to speak out against unequal treatment. God bless you for your willingness to serve AND stick up for your gender!