I love being a woman, with all its teasings, tauntings and torments that I regularly receive from the male species of the sexes (uh...there's only TWO!). Add to that the hilarious humor that floats through cyberspace (see link below) and into our email boxes! It's fun being a woman--depending on which day or part of the day you ask my opinion, that is!

But let's face it, girls--men and women ARE different, and when we finally realize that God has a GOOD thing going--and until we learn to ENJOY and WORK OUT those differences, we'll continue the battle of the sexes forever after! Now when it's all in fun, we pick up our play swords and enjoy teasing back and forth. But when it's in real life and dead serious conflicts result, it's NOT so funny and only the Lord--and some very good communication--helps us work those times out!

But wait a minute...if we dig DEEP enough, I believe we'll find men and women do have some "look-alike" characteristics--deep within our spirits, that is! Come with me to the Well. Mary and Martha are there--we know them well (unintended pun...), but Michael and Mel? Who in the world are they? Come with me--put your swords down and let's find out!

A Helping Word...or Two!

Mary: Woman of Worship

Mary loved God--with great devotion and delight. She voluntarily made time in her day to sit at the feet of Jesus, and we usually think of her LISTENING to His wonderful words. But stop and think: does a woman have the ability to sit and listen without ever contributing her thoughts and wishes? Not me--grin--at least not very well, and I suspect not YOU either! I believe Mary not only listened and learned at the Master's feet. I believe she may have asked questions, expressed concerns, voiced her devotion, and simply loved her Lord, in the womanly way God had made her to worship Him!

Do you need to take more time to stop and listen to His voice, to sit at His feet, and drink from the Well of His Words--and His presence? We all do--and we must take "time-out" to sit with our Lord. Sometimes it's a real struggle--we are so busy. But let us remember that without a doubt Christ is our life and strength, our sustenance; we must drink from His Well daily. And we must be eager and open to share with Him our problems and perplexities, our hopes and dreams--as we would do with a "best friend." He IS our "Best Friend" and He's waiting to dialogue with you and me--let's not disappoint Him this week!

Martha: Woman of Wonder!

Martha loved God--with great devotion and delight too, I'm sure. But she was one of those "wonder women" who try to do it all, busy from sun-up until sun-down, and never done. Jesus was her special guest and I'm sure, like all perfect hostesses, she wanted to share with Him her best meal. When company comes to visit, you need a helping hand--and so of course, she was aggravated with her sister. If you were Martha, doing it all, you would be too! BUT Jesus knew Martha's makeup. He knew that beneath the busyness of her day and her personality, she needed also, perhaps MORE than Mary, to take time with her Lord. He gently reproved her, and I paraphrase His words, "Martha, you're troubled about so many necessary things--but ONE thing is all you REALLY need. Even beyond the lovely dinner you have prepared for Me, I need your fellowship--come and sit down awhile."

Are you too busy being a "wonder woman" that there's no time to behold HIS wonder--to BE His child, His servant, His "workwoman"--at REST? We are so guilty of being so busy doing the work of the Lord that we forget the Lord Himself! "Lord, help us to not stop DOING our "Martha" things, but also to take time to BE a 'Mary'--and to sit at your feet." And can you hear the Lord respond, "Your kitchen, laundry, cleaning--and the computer--can all wait within reasonable limits, of course (your kids need clean clothes; your families need dinner and I know that!)--but it's YOU I need! Take time to SIT with Me--and then I'll take time to WALK with you through your busy day! Come on, Martha, SIT DOWN!"

Michael and Mel: Men of Worth!

Exit Mary and Martha; enter two mystery men. You see, we women understand that men can't totally relate to Mary and Martha as we can--but they CAN identify with two Bible heroes I know--so let's bring on our mystery men of the day...

Men, are you a "Michael" or a "Mel-chizedek"? Now we know Michael is an angel, and last we checked, we women did not find wings on YOUR shoulders...but we see how you "wing" it throughout your Christian life--serving, doing, ministering, working--men of action and purpose....just like Michael the archangel. Michael battled with the devil--and so do you.

We women are proud of what you've accomplished in the Kingdom of God, but wait a minute...maybe you forgot that you can also be a "Melchizedek"--a priest in your home and in your own private devotional life. You carry a heavy load--and Christ, your Lord, wants to help. Bring life's demands to Him; sit in His presence awhile and you will better meet those demands for your day. And by the way, we women need strong AND sensitive men to be the Michaels and Melchizedeks in our lives--you are men of WORTH to us--and to God--especially when you spend time in worship and the Word.

So who are you? Mary or Martha? Michael or Mel-chizedek? It depends, I know, on which day or which hour you ask, for we all struggle with balancing spiritual devotion and unspiritual demands--we win some, we lose some. God understands our human frame, be it male or female--and He knows what we need. May the busy Marthas and Michaels within each of us take a break and may we bring our Mary and Mel counterparts to His feet--He's waiting for us all--men and women alike!

Copyright 2002 by Peggie C. Bohanon, Springfield, Missouri. All rights reserved.
Please do not copy without permission.

His Healing Words

"O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee... (Psalm 63:1)."

"Lord, as both men and women, different but very much alike, we are the doers and be-ers of our world. Sometimes it gets out of balance and how well we know it, Lord. Help us this week to take time to sit at Your feet. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

P.S. Now let's have some M&M's!

They're in the kitchen closet, right next to Martha's work station! Enjoy!!

Featured links

Time for M 'n Ms!

The Prayer and Praise Room

Battle of the Sexes--humor from InHis.com--A Great Christian Place to Laugh!

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I'm blessed with a wonderful "virtual web family," many close friends who not only help to keep me sane and smiling, but write wonderful devotionals. Enjoy their spiritual insights--and their sites as well!

A Virtual Web Family (by Charlene Fairchild)

Pastors Wives' Prayer and Praise Page
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Treasure Hunter--a devo for pre-Christians and Christians needing encouragement

Peggie's List of Devotional Resources

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