Gender is obviously a hot topic in our culture and generation. People everywhere are writing, fighting, complaining and re-defining. Even as believers, we have differing viewpoints.
Your Formal Lunch this month is a solo lunch date with yourself. Find a place where you can turn everything off for 30 minutes to an hour. Depending on your technology addiction, this may be more difficult for some. My suggestion would be to stay moving while you do this. Find a park where you can walk or a quiet place to ride your bike or go for a jog. (If “November” and “December” for you involves 6 feet of snow, then fine, lay on your bed; but I strongly recommend practicing the art of no distractions.)
Then, focus on one, some, or all of these questions:
1. What does gender mean to me?
2. Do I have positive or negative associations with my own gender? Why?
3. Do I have positive or negative associations with the opposite gender? Why?
4. Does God see my gender as a good thing or a bad thing? Less than or more than the other?
5. Does the world paint gender as a good thing or a bad thing?
6. Can/Should we embody masculine and feminine characteristics or are they simply social constructs?
To dig in deeper, consider how we can reconcile two verses like these:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3, ESV)
“[Jesus] answered, ‘Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female…’” (Matthew 19, ESV)
Then I want you to pray and ask God to give you insight and wisdom on this topic and take another 30 minutes to an hour (again with little distraction) to journal about it. Finally, submit your thoughts to me because I would love to hear your insights and ponderings.
From my heart,
Joy
