The Eighth Element and... Mother's Day
Blog Series #6: How Jesus Treats Women Part 5, Eight Elements Consistently Found in Jesus' Encounters with Women
I realize that I am posting this blog on the eve of Mother’s Day, 2025. As I will explain toward the end of this essay, I think it is the perfect weekend to write about ‘The Eighth Element.’ I hope by the time you reach the end, you might agree with me. If you are searching for it, perhaps you will find that gem of truth that can bring you healing and peace on this holiday packed with conflicting emotions for so many.
Here we go:
Waaaay back when I began this ‘How Jesus Treats Women’ series with my post titled ‘Trapped’ and again in ‘Forgiven,’ I listed 7 qualities about Jesus’ encounters with women that hold true consistently throughout the Gospels.
These 7 qualities are:
Jesus is always kind to women. He treats them as His equals. Jesus lives out His own command: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself’ with each woman He encounters.
Jesus knows all that each person He encounters has ever done in their past – including aborting fetuses. See John 1:47-49 and 4:29.
In direct opposition to the political evangelicals who claim to be ‘christian’ today, Jesus never once accuses a woman of … ANY thing.
Not even murder.
Also in stark contrast to the American nationalists (usually political evangelicals) who claim to be ‘christian’ today, Jesus does not once condemn a woman of … well … ANY thing.
Not even murder.
Jesus does not consider the topic of abortion to be pertinent enough to bring up in conversation, much less an action worth condemning a woman (or her physician) to jail for.
As I’ve pointed out in this blog on a few occasions, one can spot a political evangelical (whether they be a ‘christian’ nationalist today or a pharisee/sadducee of Jesus’ day) by their LUST for
a. political Power
b. social Prestige/ Influence and
c. the accumulation of material Wealth.
You never EVER find a ‘christian’ nationalist/political evangelical today or a pharissee/sudducee of Jesus’ day loving their marginalized, impoverished neighbor as much as they love themselves (in reference to Jesus’ second command). Instead, they are the ones consistently found oppressing and exploiting the marginalized and impoverished.
That’s how you know you are dealing with a ‘christian’ nationalist.
In each encounter Jesus has with a woman, we find that she is marginalized and discriminated against by someone with far more Power, Influence, or Wealth than she has. These individuals with the ability to OPPRESS others are actually present with Jesus and the respective woman in some cases, while their presence is only implied in others. Whether physically present in the encounter or not, we can see the effects of their oppression all over the woman with whom Jesus seeks a conversation.
In every recorded encounter Jesus has with a woman we see Him turn AWAY from — or even IGNORE — the Powerful / Influential / Wealthy people in order to focus His full attention on one woman who can only be described as, well … NONE of those things!
Once you begin to watch for this phenomenon in New Testament Bible stories, it is
… breathtaking …
To clarify element #7 relative to the Samaritan Woman at the Well: Jesus does not go into the town He and the disciples have approached, at least not right away. It is almost as though He WANTS to encounter this particular Samaritan woman,
at this particular time of day,
and with NO other townspeople nearby
— some of whom would be predictably lusting after Power, Prestige, and Wealth in lieu of the respect or kindness Jesus wanted to show this one woman.
The existence of these townspeople is implied by the way Jesus ignored them, delaying His entry into their town. He focused instead on this one woman drawing water in the heat of the day. Furthermore, He sent His disciples into the town without Him. This ensured that He could focus on having this important conversation. Jesus knew His 12 well-meaning guys would pressure Him to adhere to useless Jewish traditions and racial bigotries, ie: social biases that had afforded the disciples a small measure of political power, social prestige, and even the means to earn a bit of material wealth within their tight-knit communities …
until they met Jesus, that is.
As you read my analysis of the woman at the well (John 4:1-42) it is apparent how this story fits all 7 of the elements I’ve found consistent in Jesus’ encounters with women. It took me three posts to cover Jesus’ conversation with this amazing woman:
He Told Me Everything I Ever Did
After spending nearly 10 months on this series, I’ve discovered an 8th element I’d like to add:
Jesus LISTENS to each woman He encounters. He listens to men and children as well, but as I conclude this series, let’s stay the focus on ‘How Jesus Treats Women.’ I’ll leave it to you to examine the encounters Jesus had for yourself, then decide whether Jesus ignored each woman …
or chose to LISTEN to her instead.
Of course the very title of my blog ‘Heard’ (and it’s sequel ‘Healed’) in this 6th series of Everly’s Tattered Journal indicates what I think :)
What do YOU think?
And this is where I’ll leave you on the eve of Mother’s Day, 2025:
No matter what your experiences have been as
a mother,
not a mother,
an adult child of a mother,
a mother estranged from her child[ren],
a woman who has aborted a fetus and felt relieved,
a woman who has grieved the loss of a fetus (whether by spontaneous abortion or chosen abortion),
a woman with trauma to untangle around her status as a mother,
or … even a man who may be reading my blog (thank you, guys, for showing up!)
your Creator is LISTENING to you. The One who designed you uniquely as you are wants to hear about ALL the concerns that seem to be dancing frightfully close to the flames throughout this emotional powder-keg we call “Mother’s Day.” Volatile, precarious and unmanageable as this Day may seem for some of us, your Creator knows how difficult or joyful this rollercoaster of a Day will be for you, and remains right there WITH you through ALL of it.
~ Posts in my Tattered Journal you may find useful this week: ‘We Grieve as Much as We Have Loved’ and ‘Hopeful Imagination’ ~
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6
