Freedom, Oppression, and Equality

By: Lilyofthevalley2014

For the most part, we in America do not have a correct view on freedom, oppression, and equality. I would put myself in part of that bunch. I don’t know what it means to have my freedom stripped away or be oppressed by a tyrannical dictator. But I have been in the boxing ring with equality. Fighting hand to hand with it. I was confused why every punch I threw did nothing to my opponent and every blow I got to the face was a wake up call: “What am I doing here.” “Why do I want to be equal with my opponent?” Every hard blow nudged me to the edge of the mat. The wood floor was calling out my name to step off and be done. When I finally crawled weakly out of the ring I realized that I was being oppressed and my freedom was being taken from me. Who was doing this? Who was oppressing me? Could you believe that it was culture? The Media? People in my church? My family?

We have this idea that freedom only means you are trapped, unable to get loose. No freedom or rights to do what you want to do. And oppression is when someone is telling you and forcing you to do something you don’t like. When I was younger, I shook my fist at God and demanded an explanation on why He made me a girl. Boys get to have all the fun. Boys get the cool toys. Boys get to do this and do that. I gave no value to women and their role. I was a male chauvinist. I valued men’s role more than woman’s. Why? It’s not like I was taught this concept so explicitly from my parents. Nothing I learned about men’s and women’s role was overt or so profound to me. I downplayed women’s role because of the silent undercurrent of the information that I was processing.  I believed the lies. The lies that I would be ‘oppressed’ if I stayed at home. The lies that being a mother and caring for children would take my ‘freedom’ away. I wanted to be independent. I wanted to be selfish and have my dreams come true. When the Lord started opening my eyes to what He had for me as a woman my whole entire world came crashing down. TKO-Technical Knock-Out. I was down for the count and I did not get up. I stayed down and I crawled off the mat…never to step into that arena again.

Viewing women as a failure for ‘simply’ taking care of children and their husbands is a lie straight from the devil. How many women today are looked down upon for being homemakers? “Why don’t you actually help your husband and get a job?” (Paul Washer’s wife was told this–Sidebar: If you have never heard this man preach you are missing out! http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/ ) Where does our true source of freedom come from? There will always be oppression and the fight for equality, but there is one freedom–only one freedom that no one can take from you. Freedom in Christ.

There are still some those who cry out, like I did, “That’s not fair! It’s my Christian Liberty to do what I want to do. If it is not explicitly in the Bible then its Christian Liberty.” When Christ transforms our lives and our eyes are opened to pride, arrogance, selfishness, and not fulfilling the responsibilities He has placed on our shoulders, we will quickly see how far we have to go. And without Christ, we cannot get to the end. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13” Let me know if I took that verse out of context…it is taken out of context so many times.

Those blows that I got were not metaphorical. I even bragged out the bruised eyes and bruised shins. I placed myself in man’s arena and strived for ‘equality.’ I could never match up to a man. Blood, sweat, nor tears could get me there. I am a woman. I was not made a man. Did God make a mistake? Of course not. What creation can tell the creator He messed up? Women thinking they can be men (Not physically, but in essence with man’s responsibility and purpose) is a distortion of God’s intended purpose. Freedom is a privilege, not a right. Let’s start trying to focus on not being self entitled and having the world revolve around us…you…me.

Although I know that I have wasted most of my life so far, trying to become one that I simply will never even come close to, I am wrestling through how to view my life right now. Even though I have found my liberation in Christ first and a true woman second, I still have my past I have to live with. Is God sovereign? Of course. Is it His will that I sin? Of course not. Did God place me where He wanted me? Of course. Is where He placed me where He wanted me to be? Of course not. Do you see the struggle? I despise my life. I grew up training how to be a man. I have either sold, thrown away, or given all my past away almost. All the awards, accolades, pictures, things….garbage. It is all rubbish. I don’t have much left. I know where God wants me to be. I know that it was His will to create me a woman so there I have my destination. I have my map (the Bible). I have my guide (Jesus). It only goes up from here!  ^“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14. God is good. I praise Him for saving my spiritual and physical life–for I am a distortion.

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