Fulfilling My Specific Role in the Order of the Church
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:2-10 (NASB)
2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. 10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
SUMMARY
Paul goes over the order of men and women in relation to each other and to God. He illustrates this order by talking about head coverings during worship and says that men should not cover their heads, but women should cover their heads. This is to show that men are under the authority of Christ and women are to be under the "symbol of authority" by wearing the head covering. He emphasizes that God is the ultimate authority in verse 3 as "Christ is the head of every man, and man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ".
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
When I first read through this passage, it bothered me how women had to cover their heads and also that we were under the authority of a man, while man was under the direct authority of God. It made me wonder why we are not under God's direct authority and it seems less special to be indirectly under man, even though he is under the leadership of Christ. It makes me feel unseen or unwanted and that my relationship with Christ is less connected, or that I do not have as much freedom and must have a man in order to be under Christ's authority.
As I was meditating on verse 8-9, "For man does not originate from a woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake". I realized that I am not dependent on the man to have a closer relationship with Christ as it says "man was not created for the woman's sake". God wants me to not have to depend on a man, but to be able to be who I need to be as the woman he made me to be "for the man's sake". I also have an unhealthy dependency on men when I do get into a relationship to make me feel special, or associate my value or worth with how they treat me. However, this verse made me realize that I play a supporting and foundational role as a layer under the man, and the man who is the next layer underneath Christ.
APPLICATION
This passage reminded me that although we are all part of the same body of Christ, Christians also have different roles and functions as men and women. In the end, we are all part of one body and no gender is greater than another gender. Instead, we are all different, but important layers of building the church body. God created order to make and female genders to create a strong and stable body. I must do my part well and also understand that it does not make me weak or less important, but that being able to submit to godly men who are under the authority of Christ, also helps to rid me of my own selfish desires and ambitions. I pray that I will be able to have a pure heart in my relationships and not make it about power or control, but about serving one another in the role that God has given me. I also pray for more humility and humbleness because in relationships, I tend to get competitive and show I am "better" than the other person, including feeling like I have to show I have a strong relationship with Christ. Reading deeper into the passage reminded me that it's not about which gender or person is being better or closer to Christ, but about reflecting Christ through the roles that he made for us.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, I pray you continue to purify my heart and help me to realize that a relationship with you is not built on status or about the inherent value of another person being better than one another. It is about serving each other and honoring each other through the roles you have given to us by creating us as a woman or a man. Help men to be reflectors of Christ to women through their love and women to reflect Christ to man through godly submission and support. I think I struggle with the concept submission or support of being "less special" or unheard. So, if there is any area where it seems like I am not the main character, I get offended. But I pray to realize that Christ is the main character, not me, and he made each of us special by creating roles for everyone to take part in being the body of Christ. That is an honor and source of joy for me each day. I pray that I place my true worth and value in Christ and not in the roles that I play. Amen!
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