Reflect Jehovah’s View of Women

1-2. How are women often viewed and treated today?

MANY women today are not treated with the respect they deserve. Some grow up knowing that their parents would have preferred to have a boy instead of a girl. Sadly, many of these girls receive little attention and affection, and some of them are even severely mistreated by family members.

² A woman may be viewed as inferior to a man because of local culture. For example, Hans, a circuit overseer in Bolivia, says: “Some men were raised in a very macho culture, causing them to develop a deep-rooted feeling that men are superior to women.”a Shengxian, an elder in Taiwan, says: “Where I live, many men feel that women should not meddle in men’s business. If a man mentions a woman’s opinion about something, his peers may look down on him.” Additionally, some men claim that they are not prejudiced against women; yet, they see nothing wrong with telling demeaning jokes about women.

3. How can a brother overcome an improper view of women? (Ephesians 4:22-24)

³ In the congregation, Christian men are taught to love and respect their spiritual sisters. (1 Tim. 5:1, 2) However, a brother could be more influenced by his culture than he realizes. Thankfully, no man is bound to the culture he grew up in. He can put on “the new personality,” which includes adopting Jehovah’s elevated view of women. (Read Ephesians 4:22-24.) This article will discuss how Jehovah views women and how brothers can imitate his example.

HOW DOES JEHOVAH VIEW WOMEN?

4. How does Jehovah view women?

⁴ Jehovah sets the perfect example in how to view and treat women. He is a compassionate Father who loves all his children. (John 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:18) Faithful sisters are like precious daughters to him.b Consider the following ways in which Jehovah dignifies women.

5. How do we know that Jehovah is not prejudiced against women? (Galatians 3:26-29)

⁵ Jehovah treats women impartially. Jehovah created men and women in his image​—that is, with the ability to reflect his qualities. (Gen. 1:27) He did not make men more intelligent or more talented than women; nor does he prefer men to women. Jehovah created men and women with the mental ability to understand Bible truths. He also values the faith of men and of women equally. He has given both men and women the hope of living forever on earth or of ruling in heaven. (Read Galatians 3:26-29.) Clearly, Jehovah is not prejudiced against women.​—2 Chron. 19:7.

6. How do we know that Jehovah cares about the feelings and concerns of women?

⁶ Jehovah listens to women. Jehovah cares about how women feel, and he is interested in their concerns. For instance, he answered the prayers of both Rachel and Hannah. (Gen. 30:22; 1 Sam. 1:10, 11, 19, 20) Jehovah also had accounts recorded in the Bible in which men listened to women. For example, Jehovah told Abraham to listen to his wife, Sarah. (Gen. 21:12) King David listened to Abigail. In fact, he felt that Jehovah had sent her to speak to him. (1 Sam. 25:32-35) And Jesus, who perfectly reflects his Father’s personality, listened to his mother, Mary. (John 2:3-10; 5:19) As these examples highlight, Jehovah shows respect to women by listening to them, and he expects men to do the same.

7. How do we know that Jehovah trusts women? (See also picture.)

⁷ Jehovah trusts women. For example, Jehovah entrusted both Adam and Eve with the assignment of filling and subduing the earth. (Gen. 1:28) In doing so, Jehovah showed that he viewed Eve, not as an inferior to Adam, but as a complement and partner to him. Jehovah also trusted the prophetesses Deborah and Huldah to advise his people, including a judge and a king.c (Judg. 4:4-9; 2 Ki. 22:14-20) Today, Jehovah trusts Christian women to carry out important assignments. Faithful sisters serve as zealous publishers, pioneers, and missionaries. They help design, build, and maintain Kingdom Halls and branch facilities. Some of them serve at Bethel and in remote translation offices. These sisters are like a large army that Jehovah mobilizes to do his will. (Ps. 68:11) Clearly, Jehovah does not view women as weak or incapable.

DO YOU REFLECT JEHOVAH’S VIEW OF WOMEN?

8. What can help a brother determine whether he has the proper view of sisters?

⁸ Brothers do well to analyze themselves from time to time to see whether they have the proper view of sisters. But brothers may still need some additional help. Just as an X-ray machine can detect certain medical issues within a person’s literal heart, a mature Christian friend and God’s Word can help a brother detect unscriptural feelings about women that are concealed within his figurative heart.

9. What should a brother do if someone tells him that he should treat sisters better?

⁹ Ask a mature Christian who is reasonable and knows you well. (Prov. 18:17) If a brother is married, no doubt his wife knows him better than any other person. So he can ask her or another mature Christian the following questions: “How do you think I treat sisters? Do they feel that I respect them? Is there something I can do to treat them better?” Single brothers do well to ask these same questions of a mature Christian. If a family member or a friend mentions some ways you can improve, avoid making excuses or becoming offended. Instead, be willing to make the needed adjustments.

10. What can help a brother to develop the right view of women? (Hebrews 4:12)

¹⁰ Study God’s Word. The best way for a brother to know if he views sisters properly is to use God’s Word to examine his thinking and actions. (Read Hebrews 4:12.) As he studies the Bible, he will learn about men who treated women well and men who did not. He can then compare these examples with the way he treats sisters. Additionally, carefully researching Bible verses can prevent a brother from taking a scripture out of context to support a mistaken view about women. For example, 1 Peter 3:7 refers to a wife as “a weaker vessel.” Does this mean that a wife is inferior to her husband? Not at all! The apostle Peter did not imply that women are weaker intellectually or spiritually. Rather, he was referring to the fact that women in general have less physical strength than men. Peter reminded husbands in the first century that both they and their wives were heirs of “the undeserved favor of life.” In other words, they all had an equal standing as joint heirs with Christ. Thus, Jehovah expected each husband to honor his wife. When a brother carefully studies God’s Word and asks a mature friend for his or her observations about the way he treats women, he can learn to show the proper respect for sisters.

HOW CAN ELDERS SHOW RESPECT FOR SISTERS?

11-12. Why should elders commend sisters?

¹¹ Elders in the congregation remember that they have the responsibility to set an example in how to treat others, including Christian sisters. How can elders set the example in showing respect for sisters? Consider some specific ways.

¹² Elders commend sisters. The apostle Paul set a good example for elders to imitate. He publicly commended several sisters in his letter to the congregation in Rome. (Rom. 16:12, 13) Just think how happy these sisters must have felt when Paul’s letter was read to the congregation! Similarly, elders today generously commend sisters for their fine qualities and for the work they do for Jehovah. Of course, an elder would never become overly familiar with a sister; nor would he make inappropriate remarks. But his sincere commendation can assure the sisters that the congregation loves and respects them. The comforting words of an elder may come at just “the right time” and help a sister to continue serving Jehovah with joy.​—Prov. 15:23.

13. Why should elders be specific when commending sisters? (See also picture.)

¹³ When commending sisters, elders can make their comments more meaningful by being specific. A sister named Jessica says: “We especially appreciate it when brothers commend us for something specific, such as teaching our children to sit quietly at the meetings or going out of our way to pick up a Bible student to bring her to the meeting.” When elders commend sisters about something specific, they make the sisters feel needed and valued in the congregation.

14. Why should elders listen to sisters? (Proverbs 1:5)

¹⁴ Elders listen to sisters. Humble elders recognize that they are not the only ones who have good ideas. Such elders ask sisters for their suggestions and listen carefully when they speak. (Read Proverbs 1:5.) When elders listen, they not only encourage sisters but also benefit themselves. Gerardo, an elder who serves at Bethel, says: “I have found that asking sisters for their input helps me do my work more efficiently. Often, they have done the job longer than most brothers.” In the congregation, many sisters serve as pioneers, so they know a lot about the people who live in the local area. An elder named Bryan says: “Our sisters have much to offer the organization.” By listening to them, elders can benefit from the experience of these sisters.

15. What can elders do after listening to a sister’s suggestion? (See also picture.)

¹⁵ Elders should not ignore the suggestions of sisters. A brother named Edward says: “A sister’s opinion and experience can help a brother to see the entire scope of a matter, and it can help him to develop empathy.” Even if an elder cannot implement a sister’s suggestion, he can still thank her for her observations and acknowledge her insight.

16. How can elders show that they trust sisters? (See also picture.)

¹⁶ Elders trust sisters. One way they can show that they trust sisters is by making good use of their skills and abilities. For example, at Bethel, sisters care for a variety of assignments, such as maintenance, purchasing, accounting, computer programming, proofreading, translating, and so forth. Sisters also help with theocratic construction and disaster relief projects by operating power tools and heavy equipment. When elders trust sisters in these ways, they show that they view sisters as capable and trustworthy.

BENEFITS OF VIEWING WOMEN AS JEHOVAH DOES

17. How do sisters feel when we view them as Jehovah does?

¹⁷ We love our faithful sisters as Jehovah does! We view them as valued family members. (1 Tim. 5:1, 2) We are honored and proud to work alongside them. And we want them to know how much we respect them. A sister named Vanessa says: “I am so thankful to Jehovah for being part of his organization, which is filled with brothers who have refreshed my spirit.” A sister in Taiwan says: “I am very thankful that Jehovah and his organization place such high value on women and on our feelings. This strengthens my faith and makes me appreciate even more the privilege I have of being a part of Jehovah’s organization.”

18. How does Jehovah feel when brothers treat sisters respectfully?

¹⁸ How glad Jehovah must be when he sees faithful men who cherish and respect women as he does! (Prov. 27:11) “The world’s view of women can be very demeaning,” says an elder in Scotland named Benjamin. “So when women walk into a Kingdom Hall, we want them to feel the difference.” May we all reflect Jehovah’s view of women by treating them with the love and respect that they deserve.​—Rom. 12:10.