Lent 39. Feminism?

I had a very interesting conversation with Sam ( 14) yesterday when he suddenly , out of the blue, asked why some of the things he hears in church are so sexist.  I wasnt expecting that!   So I asked him what he meant.  And he elaborated very specifically about how the men in the church talk about the women - quite often in the form of people joking about their wives or about stereotypical gender roles... but I was fascinated that Sam perceived this not as humour but as sexism.  He was right I suppose.  It is.

How we speak about each other in church sends out a message to the world about the sort of people we are.   If the people up at the front are all men then that will send a very specific message to women in the church.   If children are talked down to or excluded from participation in church life then they will pretty quickly get the message that church isnt for them.   If people in leadership positions make jokes about their spouses in public the congregation will buy into a culture of subtle disrespect.   If the women are always in the kitchen making tea whilst the men are doing the preaching and looking after the church chequebook...... well, you get my point.   Sam was concerned about the message he was picking up from the most subtle nuances of elements of church life.   If he is feeling like that then so will the visitors who come through our doors. the unchurched and the not-yet-saved.

But Sam wasnt going to leave it there.  He then went on to ask why, if there is such a thing as feminism, is there not an equivalent movement for men.  Because he feels men need a voice to stand up for them in a world where women are celebrated and noticed and marked out when they do something unusual or extraordinary, but men are ignored or criticised or condemned.   I thought this was an exceptionally mature observation from a 14 year old.   But it also made me realise how far we have come in the space of a generation.   My parents grew up in a world when male and female roles were pretty much prescribed and inflexible.  Their language and attitudes reflected those social mores.  My generation began to question gender stereotypes and become politically correct and now Sams generation dont actually see any difference between men and women and wonder why everyone of our generation makes such a big deal about it.   In fact , as a young man in the 21st century Sam feels the pendulum has swung a bit too far in the feminists direction and men now need a break.

The Bible tells us that we are all essentially THE SAME in Jesus.  That what binds us together is so much more significant than the things which separate us.  Yet we seem to find it so difficult to fully embrace this and live it out in practice.  Age, race, gender, status, political persuasion, education - none of these matter to God.   He doesnt see the trappings He looks at the heart and we need to be better at doing the same.

Let us celebrate people for who they are on the inside and not what they look like on the outside. Let's be careful of the way we speak to and about each other and become more aware of the impact of our words, our jokes, our attitudes on those who are looking in from the outside.   Let us speak out against prejudice wherever we see it and stand up for anyone who is struggling to find their true identity.  It can only be found in Jesus.  Because He is the only one who makes us fully alive and therefore whole and truly 'us'.  It is easy to be lazy in our speaking and our thinking.  Lets try to wise up and have the mind of Christ.   Not easy.  But possible.