A Woman’s Place; a Carpenter’s Place

Mark 6:4-6 “Jesus said unto them, ‘Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.’ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.”

Women have a lot in common with Jesus. His hometown folk said, “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn’t this the carpenter?” And even though they knew He did miracles, they were more interested in keeping Jesus in his place.

Similar things happen to women. People who claim to be Christians say, “But she’s a woman! Don’t listen to her! God doesn’t call women to ________ (fill in the blank with anything except domestic work). This too is submission tyranny. It is part of the culture of males devaluing women. This devaluing, along with male authority teaching, is part of the cause of domestic abuse.

Jesus could not do many miracles in his hometown. They only allowed him to be a carpenter. How many miracles are women blocked from doing here in the US because they are only allowed to work in the kitchen? I think of the many women who are blocked from working in God’s kingdom at home in spite of God’s calling on their lives. Some of them go to the mission field and do many miracles there. Gladys Aylward, for example.

How many women live their whole lives prevented from serving in the way they were called? How many miracles are denied to this world because women are kept in their place? How many more people would come to Christ if women were allowed to serve according to God’s call, instead of according to the limitation males place upon them? Could it be that hearing the gospel from a woman’s perspective and in a woman’s words would “click” with some people who are not open to the gospel message from a male perspective? How many souls are being doomed because women are kept in their place?


Waneta Dawn is the author of "Behind the Hedge, A novel,"a story about a woman who grapples with her husband's demands that she submit--no matter what. Please visit www.wanetadawn.com