In so many ways they are the same. In very important ways they are different.
Man and woman.
God created both. He gave to each a soul. He gave to each eyes and ears, a mind and ability. He gave to each a special relationship with God. In so many ways they were the same.
But from the very beginning they were also different. Man was created first. The woman was created for man. This order of creation had meaning. The Holy Spirit explains that God does not permit a woman to have authority over man, because Adam was formed first, then Eve (1 Timothy 2:12-13). The Holy Spirit says, “The head of the woman is man” (1 Corinthians 11:3).
What does this mean? What beautiful gift was God giving humanity through this plan?
First, God was asking the man to be a sacrificial leader. The model for his activity is Christ. Christ is the head of the Church. Christ gave up everything for the Church. He considered the needs of the Church before he thought of his own. When choosing between our eternal salvation and escape from his personal pain, he chose our salvation and himself endured the fires of hell. Christ as head sacrificed everything for the one he loved.
God commands a man, out of love for Christ, to sacrifice everything for a woman. To place her concerns first. To consider her preferences of greatest importance. To be the first to say, “Let’s do it your way.”
At the same time, he is asked to take responsibility. Someone must make final decisions. He is asked to weigh the options and reach a decision that is best for all. He takes this responsibility seriously. He seeks input. Love is his guide. On occasion he may feel compelled to overrule a woman’s preference.
God asks the woman, out of love for Christ, to be a submissive helper. To be a helper is not to be less but to be needed. God is called our helper (Psalm 27:9). She supplies characteristics and abilities without which human relationships would be incomplete. She acknowledges the unique leadership responsibility of the man. She recognizes that someone must have the final say. She recognizes the challenge of his position and she supports men in their exercise of authority.
She realizes that while she can use many of her gifts and organizational abilities to instruct, coordinate and evaluate the activities of others, on occasion she may reach a point where she feels the exercise of authority over a man is necessary. She may feel that compelling a man to do something is the only reasonable option. Should she ever face such a situation, she properly requests the assistance of another man, that she might not step outside of the role God has given her. She also realizes that certain functions would place her repeatedly in the position of needing to exercise authority over a man. She realizes that the constant need to seek the assistance of a man in carrying out her responsibilities may make holding such a position impractical.
Both men and women see their roles as neither burdensome nor restrictive. They are amazed that God in his wisdom invented two genders so beautifully unique and complementary, and they are overjoyed to hear God explain how men and women best function in our world.
Men and women. In so many ways the same. In such beautiful ways different.
In every respect a creation of God.