June 23 - Our Lord, Who Loves All People, Men and Women

Cindy Rae Fancher
Jun 23
2 min read

Praise the Lord, who loves all people, men and women, for all time.

For there is one God and one peacemaker between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave himself as an offering for all; witness of which was to be given at the right time; (1 Timothy 2.5-6 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

This Scripture is later followed by verses 1 Timothy 2.9-15, which may cause you concern. You are probably not alone if you are a woman. It helps to remember that women were subservient to men when these verses were written. Men were responsible for women. This culture still exists in parts of the world. We have all seen it. In 1 Timothy, the apostle Paul taught what he knew, but it is important to remember that he led from a place of love and concern for all people.

It was very early in his Christian experience. Paul was still learning and trying to understand what Jesus had taught the disciples. He was full of passion and desire to share the good news and to bring many to salvation through Jesus Christ. We will never know, but Paul might have felt uncomfortable at some level with being successful in getting others to believe if he had tried to change men's thoughts about women. Times were so different. Women were different. Women thought differently.

If these verses bother you, take comfort in considering Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and all of the women Jesus met in his life. Did he ever put one in their place or put them aside? Was he ever unkind or demeaning? He was not. Jesus repeatedly demonstrated love and great compassion for women. Find comfort that Jesus Christ, who knew God's intention, loved all equally and joyfully showed that love.

Prayer:

Lord, who loves all people, men and women, I ask you to remove any resistance from my mind as I read Scripture. There are moments when my personal bias may interfere with my ability to discern your message. Help me understand the nuances that explain why some scripture is difficult to accept. Rather than grow angry or confused, please help me find the actual message and pass around the unjustified emotions. I want to see the true meaning in your words and take them into my heart. Encourage me to continue reading and to be patient while the meaning unfolds. Remind me to pray to you regarding anything that concerns me. Help me learn so I can help others remove their barriers. Amen