Men and women are different.

     I should stop right there and not write another word.  That would be the best way to stop any trouble I get myself into today.  However, I feel compelled to write on this topic today.  To my defense, we all know that men and women are different so it's no new thought.  This difference has always been.  Always.  The difference can be from huge to small but have big meaning.  The opposite is true as well.  Where we find ourselves on this chart is as diverse as the population filling in the chart.  If you were to ask a woman to place men on the chart the picture would look very different than where men place women on the chart.
     "What," you may ask, "does this mean to me or you?"  There are extremes that pop up in both ends of that scale that are both good and bad.  Have you ever asked someone to tell you what they think of a decision, action, no action that you took recently?  Me neither.  We don't bad news whether it be accurate or totally off base.  We don't like conflict (most of us) as it consumes our time, relationships, and potential failure.  I recently saw a comic that had two elderly men on a park bench talking.  The one man said that his wife could read minds now.  He went on to say that she sees what he might say is wrong even before he says it.  There is some humor in the comic but it's hostile humor.  Hostile humor does not ever come out associated with good, loving, kind and other adjectives.  Hostile humor is used to get our point across without fighting.  However, it is and it does.
     Should we take this area of relationship with women on, we take on the process that follows.  What most of the world does is ignore the male/female person with their thoughts and feelings and make instead their world neutral.  That might work some of the time.  However, for any real relationship to develop we need to have something more.  Here is where I go radical.  I'm just warning you! 
     In the Bible Paul says there is "no longer male or female."  but, he goes on to say, "all are equal in the eyes of God."  Paul loved conflict.  He does have a point though.  Let's try this one on for us to be uncomfortable with.  What if you, I, and everyone else would not know any distinction between the sexes?  Would you be able to understand more?  Would you be able to be understood more?  Not if you don't know Jesus.  I hope you saw that one coming.  The real and only question we need to ask in order to have a positive relationship with anyone is: What Would Jesus Do?  I can hear the groans already.
     WWJD is a true test of how we see people.  In our surrendered lives we are commanded to be Jesus to the world we live in.  Yet, fear compels us to choose something other than God.  I've done that.  I imagine you have as well.  If we "put on Christ" there is no room for "Steve" or anyone else.  Why don't we do this?  Because we are selfish and think we know better than God.  A warning light should go off about now.  Where do you stand?  You see, in Christ, men and women are not different at all.  We, society, made that part up.  We created the chasm that causes all kinds of problem for all of mankind.
     WWJD?