While talking to a group of high school boys last night, some of them began to mention women and saying how it was so difficult to respect them. In some of their eyes, girls that could receive respect and treat you nicely back are the ones that deserve it. Here was my point: none of us deserve anything, not even respect; but to pick and choose is only furthering the stereotype of these specific girls.
When talking to a friend just last month, she asked me if it was right for a male friend of hers to call her a slut. She said, "well I do slutty things but that doesn't mean that he should call me one, right? I mean, it only happens when I'm drunk so it's not really even me." Now, my first point to tell her was that no real man would ever call her anything outside of her name. It was not alright for him to call her that. Next, I told her that if she did not want to be labeled as something, she should not act like the stereotype. This was not me telling her what to do, but stating that he would continue to call her this if she acted in this way and that she could make the choice to mold her own identity.
While in high school, most of my friends were females, and not all of them were given the best reputation. Most guys and girls did not even try to know them, but just gave them a label and walked away. They were not able to see the full story. When a girl lives with an abusive mother, has to deal with a dead father, and has never had a man in her life to show her how to be treated with respect, you cannot expect her to respect herself. She would have never known what that looks like. To expect a girl in a situation like this to respect herself is like expecting a five year old to understand Political Science. If it has never been presented, how can you know how to react to it?
So I dare you, before you go an label anyone or talk poorly about anyone, look at Jesus and how He treated Mary. Men, treat women with respect and show them how a man is supposed to be. For all you know, she has never been respected before and you, as a picture of Christ, could show her the love that God has for her. Women, do not tear one another down. Instead, look at Proverbs 31:20. "She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hand to the needy." Instead of gossiping or judging, reach out to those in need if you claim to be a woman of God.
We live in a world that does not understand the power and grace of God. That is why we are here, to show them how great He is and how much He loves us all, even the ones who we may not like or know. I dare you to be the body of Christ and imitate Christ, not the world.
"But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.' Since you called on a Father who judges each person's works impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear." 1 Peter 1:15-17
-D
Thank you for wisdom beyond years
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