Do You Treat Women as Jehovah Does?

Some grew up in cultures in which many men treat women as inferior. 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.”b Shengxian, an elder in Taiwan, says: “Where I live, many men feel that women should not meddle in their business. If a man mentions a woman’s opinion about something, his peers may look down on him.” Other men show their prejudice against women in less obvious ways. For example, they may tell demeaning jokes about women.

Thankfully, no man is bound to the culture in which he grew up. He can overcome the feeling that men are superior to women. (Eph. 4:22-24) This can be done by imitating Jehovah’s example. In this article, we will discuss how Jehovah treats women, how brothers can learn to treat women as Jehovah does, and how elders can take the lead in showing respect for sisters.

HOW DOES JEHOVAH TREAT WOMEN?

Jehovah sets the perfect example in how to treat women. As a compassionate Father, he loves his human family. (John 3:16) And faithful sisters are like precious daughters to him. Consider the following ways in which Jehovah dignifies women.

He treats them impartially. Jehovah created men and women in his image. (Gen. 1:27) He did not make men more intelligent or more talented than women; nor does he prefer men to women. (2 Chron. 19:7) He created men and women with the same mental capacity to grasp Bible truths and to reflect his beautiful qualities. Jehovah also regards the faith of men and women equally​—whether their hope is to live forever on a paradise earth or to serve as kings and priests in heaven. (2 Pet. 1:1, ftn.) Clearly, Jehovah is not prejudiced against women.

He listens to them. Jehovah is interested in the feelings and concerns of women. For instance, he listened to and acted on the prayers of Rachel and Hannah. (Gen. 30:22; 1 Sam. 1:10, 11, 19, 20) Jehovah also inspired Bible writers to include accounts of men who listened to women. For example, Abraham followed Jehovah’s instruction to listen to his wife, Sarah. (Gen. 21:12-14) King David listened to Abigail. In fact, he felt that Jehovah had sent her to speak to him. (1 Sam. 25:32-35) Jesus, who perfectly reflects his Father’s qualities, listened to his mother, Mary. (John 2:3-10) These examples highlight that one way in which Jehovah shows respect for women is by listening to them.

He trusts them. For example, Jehovah trusted Eve to help care for the entire earth. (Gen. 1:28) In doing so, he showed that he viewed her, not as inferior to her husband, Adam, but as a complement to him. Jehovah also trusted the prophetesses Deborah and Huldah to advise his people, including a judge and a king. (Judg. 4:4-9; 2 Ki. 22:14-20) Today, Jehovah entrusts Christian women to carry out his work. These faithful sisters serve as publishers, pioneers, and missionaries. They help design, construct, and maintain Kingdom Halls and branch facilities. Some of them serve at Bethel; others serve in remote translation offices. These sisters are like a large army that Jehovah mobilizes to accomplish his will. (Ps. 68:11) Clearly, Jehovah does not view women as weak or incapable.

HOW CAN BROTHERS LEARN TO TREAT WOMEN AS JEHOVAH DOES?

Brothers, to determine whether we are treating Christian sisters as Jehovah does, we need to make an honest examination of our thinking and actions. To do that, we need help. Just as an X-ray machine can detect medical issues in a person’s literal heart, a good friend and God’s Word can help us detect any negative feelings about women that we may be harboring deep inside. What can we do to receive that help?

Ask a good friend. (Prov. 18:17) We do well to turn to a trusted friend who is known to be kind and balanced and ask him such questions as: “How do you think I treat sisters? Can they tell that I respect them? Can I improve my interactions with them in any way?” If your friend highlights some ways you can improve, avoid becoming defensive. Instead, be eager to make the needed adjustments.

Study God’s Word. The best way for us to know if we are treating sisters well is to examine our attitude and actions in the light of God’s Word. (Heb. 4:12) As we study the Bible, we learn about men who treated women well and men who did not. We can then compare their actions with our own. Additionally, comparing Bible verses can prevent us from unknowingly taking scriptures out of context to support a mistaken view we have of women. For example, according to 1 Peter 3:7, a wife is to be assigned “honor as to a weaker vessel.”c Does this mean that she is inferior​—less intelligent or capable—​than a man? By no means! Compare Peter’s words with what Galatians 3:26-29 indicates, namely, that Jehovah has chosen women as well as men to be corulers with Jesus in heaven. When we study God’s Word and ask a good friend for his or her comments about how we treat women, we can learn to show the proper respect for our sisters.

HOW DO ELDERS SHOW RESPECT FOR SISTERS?

Brothers in the congregation can also learn to treat sisters respectfully by following the example of loving elders. How do elders take the lead in showing respect for sisters? Consider some specific ways.

They commend sisters. The apostle Paul set a good example for elders to imitate. He publicly commended several sisters in the letter he wrote to the congregation in Rome. (Rom. 16:12) Can you imagine the joy those sisters must have felt when Paul’s letter was read to the congregation? Similarly, elders generously commend sisters for their fine qualities and for the work they do for Jehovah. This makes sisters aware of how deeply they are respected and appreciated. The encouraging words of an elder may be exactly what these sisters need as they keep serving Jehovah faithfully.​—Prov. 15:23.

When commending sisters, elders make their comments genuine and specific. Why? A sister named Jessica says: “It is nice when brothers say to a sister ‘good job.’ But 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 on something specific, they make sisters feel needed and valued in the congregation.

They listen to sisters. Humble elders recognize that they do not have the monopoly on good ideas. Such elders invite sisters to share their suggestions, and they listen carefully when sisters speak. In doing so, elders encourage sisters and benefit themselves. How? An elder named Gerardo, 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. So benefit from their experience!”

Wise elders are not quick to dismiss the suggestions of sisters. Why? “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,” says an elder named Edward. (Prov. 1:5) Even if an elder cannot implement a sister’s suggestion, he can still thank her for her observations and acknowledge her insight.

They train sisters. Discerning elders look for opportunities to train sisters. For example, they can teach sisters how to conduct meetings for field service in the event that a baptized brother is not available. They can train them to operate tools or machinery so that they can assist with theocratic maintenance and construction projects. At Bethel, overseers have trained sisters to care for a variety of assignments, including maintenance, purchasing, accounting, computer programming, and so forth. When elders train sisters, they show that they view sisters as capable and trustworthy.

Many sisters use the training that they received from elders to benefit others. For example, some sisters use their construction training to help others rebuild their homes after a natural disaster. Other sisters use the skills they were taught in public witnessing to help train more sisters in this aspect of the ministry. How do sisters feel about the elders who trained them? A sister named Jennifer says: “When I worked on one Kingdom Hall construction project, an overseer took the time to train me. He noticed the work I did, and he commended me for it. I loved working with him because I felt valued and trusted.”

BENEFITS OF TREATING SISTERS LIKE FAMILY

We love our faithful sisters as Jehovah does! So we treat them like family. (1 Tim. 5:1, 2) We are honored and proud to serve alongside them. And we are so happy when they sense our love and support. 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.”

How proud Jehovah must be when he sees faithful Christian men endeavoring to view and treat 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 do our best to imitate Jehovah by treating our dear sisters with the love and respect that they deserve.​—Rom. 12:10.