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Written by Kat Bittner, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado 
“When we denigrate a woman, we are in fact diminishing part of the image of God.” –Christine Caine, Unashamed
My husband has often remarked that, historically, women’s suffering lies in the hearts of men. He believes the lack of regard for women is rooted in men who did not and do not “see” women as God intended. And if men had regarded women as Jesus did in His relationships with them, no woman would have ever felt slighted.
If we know anything from Jesus’ relationships, it is that they were intentional. They had a clear purpose and were focused even from the moment His first relationship was contrived (1 John 4:14, Matt. 1: 21-23). Jesus’ relationship with the twelve apostles, with those He healed and to whom He ministered were all purpose-driven relationships. And that intentionality was also poured into the many women in Jesus’ circle.
The first woman in Jesus’ circle was His mother, Mary. She was a model of godliness, a woman who “found favor with God” (Luke 1:30, NLT), and she was an intimate witness to Jesus’ divine nature and purpose (Luke 1:31-35). Mary was a key player in the first public miracle of Jesus (John 2:1-11). And as the mother of the most Holy, she had what was probably a very daunting task. To care for and raise the Savior of the world, the One by whom she herself would be delivered had to be most intimidating. Yet she was honored and cherished by Jesus, exemplified by His declaration to ensure that she was properly cared for after He died (John 19:26-27).
Also counted among Jesus’ personal circle of women friends were Martha and Mary. Scripture tells us that “Jesus loved Martha and her sister” (John 11:5, NKJV) and that these women passionately served and learned from Jesus (John 12:1-3, 7; Luke 10:38-42). Through these women Jesus taught that fulfilling our spiritual responsibilities should be of utmost importance. Women, too, are called to learn from Jesus, apply the Word of God and be disciples. Additionally, Jesus’ love for them and their brother, Lazarus, was the impetus for raising Lazarus from the dead thereby witnessing God’s glory to a multitude. That was the kind of intentional relationship Jesus had with Mary and Martha. Jesus valued it. He valued them.
And then there’s Mary Magdalene, a woman who is almost always mentioned first among the female disciples and leaders (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2; Matt. 27:56, 61). After being “healed of evil spirits and deformities… out of whom had come seven demons” (Luke 8:2, NKJV), this Mary dedicated her life to Jesus and was with Him when He died (Luke 8:1-3; John 19:25). Perhaps the most intentional thing to happen to Mary Magdalene was to be the first witness of Jesus’ resurrection (John 20:11-18). Women were not known for being credible witnesses in that age, so it was a purposeful and focused thing to have Mary first testify that Jesus had risen from the tomb.
Jesus also surrounded himself with many other women who played important roles in His ministry (Mark 15:40-41). Luke tells us about several women who helped support Jesus and the apostles “out of their own means” (Luke 8:3, NIV). These included Joanna, who managed Herod’s household, Susanna and many others. They fed Jesus’s ministry, literally and financially. Also mentioned are the “many women” who “had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs” (Matt. 27:55-56). After His ascension, many women were among those who were carrying out the Great Commission in varied roles (Rom. 16:1-15; Acts 1:12-14; Acts 18; Acts 21). Phoebe the deaconess, the daughters of Philip who were prophets and Junia who was imprisoned and “outstanding among the apostles” (Rom. 16:7) were women who labored to expand the Kingdom.
Jesus bestowed a special honor on women. His regard for them, though revolutionary for the times, highlighted the way God intended for women to be valued. God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us….in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:26-27, NLT).
Psalm 46:5 – God is within her…..
Because men and women were made in the image of God, God cannot be fully reflected without a woman. When we minimize women, relationally or otherwise, we minimize the image of our Lord and Savior.
Don’t you see the intention behind human creation? There is a clear, divine purpose for man and woman. We are to be image bearers and a living witness of God. If we wrap our heads around that, we cannot help but acknowledge our worth and value. Jesus and all the women were intentional relationships that embody the essence of God. That just blows my mind!
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Written by Aileen Bonilla, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador
Who has not been involved in a complicated relationship? I would dare to say we all have. Jesus was also in middle of these confusing relationships, obviously not because He caused any conflict, but rather because He lived in this fallen world. The reality is that relationships are not complicated, we are the complicated ones.
Different than us, Jesus had and has all authority to reproach those who have a conflictive heart. Those heart problems will be reflected whenever they open their mouths. He manifested in Matthew 12:34,
“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
The context of this quote is when Jesus cast out a demon from the body of a man who was blind and mute. The Pharisees were always attentive to everything Jesus did in order to accuse Him. They desired, with their whole heart, that Jesus die. This passage is one of the many scenes where the gospels reveal how difficult it was for Jesus to fulfill His ministry here in this world, where everyone was contaminated by evil.
We shouldn’t be surprised that, at some point, we will find ourselves in the middle of complicated relationships. We should have wise discernment to realize if we are the stumbling block. Just as the Pharisees were trying to tempt Jesus, we will be tempted. And ever since the fall in the garden of Eden, humans have been incapable of relating with others in the right way. We all have different temperaments. But what should be clear is that as Christians, and in spite of those internal conflicts, we do not have the right to treat others badly.
I remember when I studied gastronomy together with my husband, we met a girl that had kitchen experience. For her, everything we did was wrong. Every time the instructors taught something new, she considered it irrelevant. Also, when she made a mistake, she was incapable of recognizing her error. No one wanted to be near her, since she yelled and made fun of everyone in the group. Those same attitudes in Christians are weighed down by the “old self” (versus the new creation). And that is why we shouldn’t be surprised when there are difficult people in our congregations.
Proverbs speaks a lot about not aligning ourselves with people who are haughty, arrogant, angry, wise in their own eyes. The reason is because we will become like them. These people typically do not want to be helped. Since they’re already wise in their own eyes, they are hindering the work of God’s Spirit. In spite of being in the midst of these complicated people, Jesus remained blameless, and His Word says that He left us good works, good examples that we should follow (Eph. 2:10).
The Pharisees constantly attacked Jesus; they couldn’t stand that there was another Teacher better than them, because He taught by example. They were jealous of the Son of God, and this is a grave sentiment that destroys everything in its path.
The envious person wants everything at any cost, invalidating the other person. The jealous person is in constant competition with others. For this reason, many times, our workplace carries such weight, because there are those who are scheming for ill and pulling others into the situation. Even though we can’t always escape from an environment like this, neither should we be contaminated by it.
Also, there will be complicated relationships amongst our loved ones, be that children, brothers, sisters, parents, spouse, etc. At any moment, the rope tightens, but to reach that limit, it is because we have let the emotions pass. The emotions are capable of creating an entire theory because we first feel and then think (Goleman, 336). Nevertheless, we are called to be reconcilers to reflect God in our homes and wherever we go.
At one point in my life, I, too, was a complicated person, because many people had constantly hurt me and I decided back then to close my heart to friendships, to Christian brothers and sisters, and to anyone. I didn’t want to go out; I even suffered from depression. But God, in His infinite wisdom, showed me that in spite of the past hurt, I had to make the effort to leave that state of being. Today, I am much more open to expressing my emotions and letting things flow, always with caution, but by trying to help those who need it. When someone treats me badly, yells at me, offends me, and uses guilt to make me responsible for their emotions, I silently go to the Father, in complete silence, without even shedding a tear. And the Father speaks to me, “Be still, I AM God.”