Masculinity

Ladies,

Do not allow ministry to cause you to lose your femininity, which is in part due to the acquisition of spiritual pride.

There are many women in various forms of ministry today. That is in part because many men have not fulfilled their calling and responsibilities, to include being the spiritual head of the household (Ephesians 5:22-24). Similarly, Jesus’s initial disciples were sent to preach the gospel to the Jews, but because of rejection, many were sent to the Gentiles instead (Acts 13:46). Many women have had to pick up the slack because men have slacked off.

Don’t get me wrong because I am not saying that women have no business being ministers. The Lord has used women as His ministers throughout the ages. Deborah was a prophetess and judge over Israel (Judges 4), Huldah was a prophetess (2 Kings 22), as was Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3) and Anna (Luke 2:36). Moses’s sister, Miriam, was also a prophetess (Exodus 15:20). But we see how the Lord disciplined her when she and their brother Aaron, the high priest and a prophet, rose up against Moses because of his interracial marriage (Numbers 12). Miriam was a prophetess but she made the mistake of trying to usurp Moses’s God-given authority, which was greater than hers. Miriam had exceeded the boundaries of her ministry by trying to incite a rebellion against Moses, a humble man whose walk was upright in the sight of the Lord, despite Miriam’s opinions.

A part of apostleship is establishing and enforcing doctrine within Christianity. The Lord used Paul, an apostle and Pharisee (student of the Law), mightily in this manner. The apostle Paul made some comments that can be viewed as sexist in today’s environment (1 Timothy 2:12). But the failure to adhere to those standards has contributed to some women ministers losing their femininity. Quite frankly, some have lost their minds because the power has gone to their heads, oftentimes because of immaturity, and like Miriam, the refusal to submit to authority. The following warning applies to male and female ministers: “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” ~ 1 Timothy 3:6 (KJV)

I know of some strong women ministers who have not lost their femininity. Consequently, they have not lost my respect, which means I listen to what they have to say and support their ministries. Sadly, and conversely, I have seen too many women who are conducting themselves as men, in a manner reminiscent of Jezebel (1 Kings 21). Deborah and Huldah were prophetesses who were married, but they had to be wives to their husbands instead of their masters. They had to balance delivering the Word of the Lord with authority yet submitting to their husbands, thereby treating them with respect and dignity.

One of the repercussions of women who lose their femininity, as a result of ministry, is they oftentimes lose their ability to enter into or stay in a relationship with a man. They may be able to find and keep a man like king Ahab, one who will tolerate the ungodly role reversal, but they will rebel against someone like a Jehu who wants to maintain the Lord’s order. One of the reasons men will avoid masculine women is because it will be like being in a relationship with another man. A Godly man will seek a Godly woman but he will avoid and reject the ones who are simply too masculine. One of the signs of a masculine woman is one who refuses to tone things downs and believes a man has to be strong to “handle her”. Men are not interested in being in a power struggle with a woman in a relationship. Men value being respected and certain actions from women will come across as a challenge to their authority, as if it were coming from another man. Ladies, you do not want a man to treat you like a man, or at least I hope you don’t.

Since I have stirred up the proverbial hornets’ nest, let me also address another aspect of women in ministry, and that is them serving in positions the Bible clearly states is reserved for men. Is there a shortage of male ministers in the church why women are appointed as bishops (the senior pastor or overseer)? My Bible says:

“This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) …And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” ~ 1 Timothy 3:1-5, 10-12 (KJV)

By the way, I am also going to state the obvious, because based on those standards, and the others I excluded from that chapter, many men are not qualified to be bishops or deacons either. Note how the apostle Paul was inspired to stress the importance of men maintaining headship of their homes. If the men cannot maintain headship of their homes, things do not bode well for the churches they will be entrusted to oversee. That is one of the reasons why men, especially those who are on track for those positions, will reject masculine women who will sabotage their ministry unto the Lord.

The Lord exalts the humble.

Social Aloe Ministries: “Glorifying God. Exposing the devil.”