Whoa... before you get out the tar and feathers and start yelling at me, hear me out.
The Bible tells us in Genesis chapter 1 verses 26-27 that God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over [...] So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
From the beginning God created differences, He made both male and female. He had a plan and knew that this would best be fulfilled by having two genders of people. We were never meant to be equal or supposed to be the same. He needed those differences for His plan to work. He didn't worry that one wasn't like the other. In fact, He wanted diversity.
It was their differences that would make them helpers for each other, and they needed to work together because they complimented each other. One wasn't better than the other, just different.
Made in His image
Imagine if God had made only one gender. The human race would have lasted only all of one generation and then gone extinct. He had a diverse planet that needed two different humans. They were equal in value since they were both made in His likeness. I truly think that if God thought less of women, He would have said so and He wouldn't have made women in His image, He would only have made man.
From the very beginning, God saw the same value in each and created both genders when He made us in His 'likeness'. Woman was notan afterthought in the garden. God never said "Oh oops, I need a helper for Adam. hmmm... I will make this weaker vessel."
Actually Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 tells us that before the world was even created God had thought of us. What this means is that He planned to make both woman and man in His likeness before He even started creation, and He thought of their redemption then too.
Jesus did more for women than any movement
Jesus didn't need to burn bras or put men down to show that women had just as much worth as men. In fact, what He did in the culture back then was really ground breaking. He breaks all cultural barriers -- for in that time period, woman were seen as being worth far less than man.
He talked with women, He conversed, He had fellowship, He discipled them, He let them wash his feet. Did you know that Mary was the only person to wash His feet in the Bible and Peter (a male) had asked to wash Jesus feet but was denied?
The Messiah that would save the world was born from a woman. Jesus was so for women and knew that His mission was to save them as well. Look at John 4 where Jesus comes and sits down with a sinful Samaritan woman (a very big no-no in that time) and He speaks to her heart and reveals her sin and gives her hope.
Jesus for the first time in the Bible refers to a woman being part of the Abrahamic covenant in Luke chapter 13 verse 16 when He calls the woman He has just healed 'a daughter of Abraham'. He is showing that women are part of the covenant and that they are valued by God.
In a time when women were not worth being taught, He reached out to them, and showed them that God the father wants them to be His disciples as well. He loved Mary and Martha and wept when He saw how they missed their dear brother Lazarus. Jesus loved women and gave them dignity. He proclaimed the truth to them and wasn't ashamed to reach out to them, for that was the plan from the beginning.
After his resurrection, the first person He reveals Himself to is a woman. In today's society it is easy to glimpse over this passage found in Matthew 28 and not see the implications, but for the savior to rise from the dead and to come first to a woman and give her the responsibly of telling others of His resurrection is beyond huge. Not only that, but it is written down in the Bible for all other generations to see.
I don't want to be equal I want to be different
God created two different sexes with two very different tasks in mind (for a great study on this, check out True womanhood 101 by Nancy Leigh Demoss). It is time that we value those differences like Christ did in the first century and realize that it is okay to be different, for Christ loves us the same. "For God so loved the world (male and female) that He gave His one and only son that whoever (again male or female) believes in Him shall not perish but have ever lasting life" (John chapter 3, verse16). It is okay to embrace being a woman or man for God created you that way. I want to be valued for my differences, as a woman of Christ.
Genevieve Wilson is a happily married stay at home, home-schooling mum of 3, whose passion is to see people come to know Jesus. She worked 8 years as a missionary with Youth with a Mission (YWAM). She has a heart for justice.