Wednesday, January 17, 2007

The Family - Series: Part 2 - The Difference

Series: Part 2 – The Difference

Gtcotr/ws011707

Key Scripture: Psalms 68:6 God sets the solitary in families …

God made men and women different for different roles with different rights and different responsibilities.

There are definite reasons why men and women, in general, are different.

Men are not made different to cause separation but rather to fit together perfectly in God’s plan.

The Family is God’s plan.

In Genesis God gives us insight into why He made us male and female.

Genesis 1 NKJV

26 ¶ Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 2

7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

8 ¶ The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.

Genesis 2

18 ¶ And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

19 Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.

20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

21 ¶ And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

God created two men, one with and one without a womb. (Woman)

God created two males, one who could and one who could not carry a fetus. (Female)

God made man and woman with certain differing abilities, likes, dislikes, graces and strengths.

For the next few minutes I would like to share some of the general differences between the genders that I have gathered from many sources through the years.

These general differences are not meant to be used as labels or limiting factors to any individual, but rather to shine a light on the Designer’s intent to use these differences as a way to strengthen the family unit.

I realize that most people do not typify the generalizations of gender but some generalities can and must at times be assumed as a point of reference from which to begin our journey into understanding the sexes.

So, here are some observations which are commonly found.

What Is A Man? What Is A Woman?

Father Mother

Conqueror Lover

Center of Interest

The World The Home

Objective Subjective

Impersonal Personal

Soul Modest Body Modest

Passionate Romantic

Neglects Nags

Main Weakness

Sense of Discouragement Sense of Loneliness

Future Minded Present Minded

Essential Minded Detail Minded

Logical Intuitive

Steady Changeable

A Leader By Nature A Supporter By Nature

Egotistic Jealous

Compartmentalized De-Compartmentalized

Greatest Need

Respect Love

And we could go on and on and on. Suffice it to say that God made the genders with differing roles, rules, rights and responsibilities in mind.

Throughout the scriptures we find God speaking about these differences as He deals with the varying issues of life concerning the man and woman he created for family.

The Family is God’s plan.

Past

Present

Future