How Are We Treating Our Women?
International Women’s Day 2022 was this past Tuesday, March 8. It’s a day to applaud the achievements of women around the world.
So…how are we treating our women? Ourselves?
Frank Schaeffer writes,
“If you want to imagine a face that goes with the words ‘the most marginalized persecuted people on our planet,’ the face is that of a young girl. That face represents tens of millions of people.
Whatever happens to her is the destiny of our species. So goes women’s rights, so goes the species. So goes women’s rights, so goes the well-being of us all.
And it seems to me that all other justice issues, race issues, economic issues, and happiness issues come down to this: How do we treat women?”
Also in his book Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Schaeffer says that laying down the burden of male supremacy was such a relief.
During the pandemic, Schaeffer and his wife Genie began taking care of their grandchildren while their children worked. And he found that “I was happy—in fact, insanely happy—at being stuck at home with my wife and three youngest grandchildren.” He left behind and began to heal from much of his domineering qualities that had been trained into him as a male.
“It is how we treat people that is our true legacy, not job title, money, or fame. It turns out that taking time to do something with my [grandchildren] was more important to the future of the world (as it were) than most of the ‘big important things’ I was trying to do.”
Learning to treat each other well is the greatest calling for each of us. As God loves us, we’re to love each other.
Boys, men, and just as much, girls and women.
My thanks to NetGalley + HCI Books for
the review copy of Fall in Love, Have Children
How we invest in others effects the present and the future. Absolutely! Even if it is a thank you to the cashier, holding open a door for the person coming up behind you, or volunteering at a non-profit. No action that invest in the well-being of another is wasted!
People first.
People over projects.
These are phrases I come back to all the time because it’s not my default!
How we treat others says everything about us.
Blessings, Lisa!
Above all else, love others❣️
My friend, Anastasia (Hansel) ministers to women in the DRC (Goma), Africa. She has connected with “Africa New Day” and their program, “Sons of Congo” and, at present, over 40,000 men have gone through a program designed to bring ‘men in that culture’ out of the mindset of being perpetrators of women to being protectors of women be it wives or any other female. It is something that could well be a goal globally – esp. in areas where women are marginalized and our USA surely has its problems in this area, too. https://africanewday.org/sons-of-congo
This is a powerful statement by Schaeffer, “It is how we treat people that is our true legacy.” and “learning to treat each other well is the greatest calling for each of us” is equally as powerful, Lisa.
What an amazing perspective to gain from staying at home during the pandemic! And what a good reminder for all of us to treat each other well.
The bible was radical in that it called for helping the weak, the orphans, the poor, the woman. And yet, learning to treat each other well is the point.
Great to hear how fulfilling leaving expectations behind!
I love this. I have long known that my husband is more of a nurturer than me. But together we make a pretty great team.