The Wrong Feathers

In our society, it is not very "glorious" to be a stay at home wife or mother. The world tells us that we should be like men. We should have college degrees and careers. We should eschew our female weakness, toughen up and dive head first into the man's world to claim our rightful spots. We should glory in proving to men everywhere that we are just as strong, just as smart, and just as capable of providing as they are. We put off the blessings of children for a long time, sometimes too long, and then we struggle in our roles as women and mothers and long to go back to the competitive man's world where we can earn our glory and feel like we are contributing to society somehow.

I think that peafowl are a wonderful opportunity to see the beauty and wisdom in why God created males and females differently. The peacock is amazingly glorious in all his splendor. He is vibrantly colored, and he is breathtaking.

The peahen blends into the background. You could easily miss her if you weren't looking specifically for her. She does not seem glorious. But my friends, she IS. God has anointed her as the glue that holds her family together. He has given her the role of mother. She blends into the background so she can protect her young ones. She is the one behind the scenes, nurturing and caring for her children.

And we are the same. We are called to be the one in the background, making sure our husband is welcomed home and loved. We are called to be the one who nurtures our little ones, day after day. We are not called to seek the glory of the world, but to store treasures in Heaven. Be sure, my friend, that delighting in your role as mother and cherishing your time with your little ones, pouring into them as God pours into you, IS storing treasures in Heaven. The world may not appreciate your behind the scenes role, but God does, and He will give you fulfillment if you submit your role to Him. Don't put on the wrong feathers, embrace the role that God has given you.

"God created mankind in His own image,
in the image of God He created them;
male and female He created them."
+Genesis 1:27

Male and Female. Different. For some more reading on the role of women, check out Psalm 127:3, Proverbs 31:10-31, I Timothy 5:9-10, and Titus 2:3-5.

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