Jesus and Women

So today during work I was re-reading one of the articles that I will probably publish in the Centennial Edition of Student World. This article was written in 1924 (or 25) by a young Japanese woman. In this short, two page article, she explains why she believe that Jesus is the person after whom she wants to pattern her life. She gives three really great reasons - first, Jesus was a feminist, second, Jesus was grateful for what He had and He never worried, third, that Jesus had a vision for a new world and was not afraid to make it happen - even if this meant His death.

I am amazed that the Christianity being preached by the organization that I work for has not changed much in 90 years. In 1925 we were explaining the same message to people all over the world. I am amazed that this woman in Japan is now witnessing to me - a woman from the United States of the 21st Century. I often think that the Christianity I believe in is something new - or something that people didn't really get 90 years ago. I am proved wrong over and over again, yet I still forget this.

The thing that really, really strikes me about this article is that her very first reason (and she says it would have been enough by itself) for wanting to model her life after Jesus is that He never brushes women aside. He never tells women that they CANNOT do something simply because they are women. He never tells women that they must obey men in all situations. Twenty years before women were given the right to vote in her country this woman saw that Jesus viewed her just as important and just as worthy as any man.

I love that I am being taught about Jesus' values by people so far away from me both geographically and historically.