Kenneth Samuel: Think Like a Woman

"Then he called hastily to the young man his armor-bearer, and said to him, 'Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" - Judges 9:54 

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is the title of Steve Harvey's best-selling romance guide. The book claims that if women are to get what they want from men, they must deal with men on men's terms. 

This message is echoed throughout the traditional sectors of society where gender roles are rigidly dichotomized and where persons of both genders are pushed to "Man up!", "Grow a pair," and "Develop the testicular fortitude that is necessary to get things done." 

It's a message that depicts all of us in a "Man's World"-a world in which the thoughts and perspectives of women, children and same-gender loving persons are all subordinated to the thoughts and perspectives of the Alpha Males. 

But every now and then, our established patriarchies are disturbed by the Bible. In the book of Judges, Abimilech was a ruthless leader whose blind ambition to dominate the northern region of ancient Canaan caused him to massacre his brothers and incinerate the cities that opposed him. 

Upon Abimilech's blood-thirsty assault on the town of Thebez, the townspeople sought refuge in the town's tower. As Abimilech approached the tower to burn it down, a woman on the roof dropped a millstone on his head and crushed his skull. 

In order to deprive this woman of the recognition she deserved for having the courage, the ingenuity and the accuracy necessary to take down a tyrant and save her people, Abimilech thought like a man, and ordered his demise by the sword of his male armor bearer. 

Perhaps we could arrive at more authentic solutions to our problems if we encouraged women to think like women. 

Prayer  

God, allow me think in ways that reveal more about my concern for family and community than my gender identity. Amen.

From UCC's StillSpeaking Devotionals. Visit UCC.org