Femininity

Femininity is the restoration in a woman's character of the image and likeness of God. The very first woman on earth was Adam's wife. She completely corresponded to the Creator's design and reflected in her character that essence of Divine nature that was originally placed in her by the hands and breath of the Lord of the Universe. Before her fall, woman was so beautiful, lovely and unique in execution that one could admire her without getting tired. And if we consider that the combination of her inner and outer beauty harmoniously matched with her will, which was unpredictable within the framework of holiness and God's love, then we can only guess how beautiful and unique this first girl was. The same could be said about Adam. He was the image and likeness of God and embodied God's representative on our earth, which manifested both externally and internally.

Adam's wife did not need to play some role to be a woman. She manifested her femininity naturally and freely, because there was no need to invent some other model of behavior.

Sin made its adjustments to God's image in man, and now we can only guess what man was originally like. But God's task includes a plan to reveal God's character to man and restore this image in him.

Nothing adorns a woman as much as her femininity. For a woman to understand what femininity is and how it should manifest in character, the opinion of another woman will be insufficient. Only a man can unmistakably determine the presence of femininity and somehow approximately describe what it is.

Our world establishes its own laws, its own model of relationships and its own appearance, which all people must conform to. Society will not accept exceptions to the rules, and especially one in whom God's image is reflected. The enemy of the soul will do everything possible to kill the natural beauty of pure character reflecting heavenly purity and harmony.

Swimming with the current of this world has always been easier, but to challenge it, choose the path against the current and follow God's plan—all this requires courage and strength from above.

I know one girl. Her father from birth invested in her heart all the best that he discovered for himself in Christ, and in every way encouraged all Christian virtues in her. This child was noticed by everyone wherever she appeared. Her childish femininity, meek obedience to parents, gentleness in character, yielding nature, unchanging friendliness were noted by all adults, and everywhere they spoke of her as a miracle child. But her peers did not value her good soul qualities and in every way oppressed this girl, exposing her to ridicule. As a result, at some point this girl decided to live by the laws of this world, very quickly put everyone in their place and gained unconditional authority among similar teenagers. Everyone began to respect her and reckon with her leadership qualities. But in the church where she went with her parents, her new features were not accepted, and over time she left her native community and went into the world. Now she has various friends outside the church and is no different from her girlfriends. And her proud spirit and arrogance in rejecting any claims repels from friendship with her and makes her good deeds disgusting.

Whether we want it or not, the world in which we live dictates its rules and forms its image on our characters. And since everyone around is the same, I don't think about what we should be according to the Creator's design.

Femininity is what all women will become when at the Second Coming they are given incorruptible nature, and a new heart capable of reflecting God's image and likeness is placed in their hearts.

But there is good news! The Lord can already now restore His likeness in His daughters and endow the character of one who decides to become a woman with His invisible presence in her life.

Let this human nature be crippled and beaten by traditions and concepts of this world, but God is able to correct everything for His name's sake.

The first thing that visibly makes a woman feminine and begins to distinguish her from all the rest of the mass is her correspondence to the female image in clothing. Very long ago the Lord gave His people beautiful light regarding what clothing God's children should have, and how it should distinguish them from the world. Dress reform determines ethical norms, propriety and corresponds to the requirements of time, even if the tastes of many people are perverted. But to live in this light, you need to discover it in your life and accept it for yourself. And for many this becomes an unbearable sacrifice and therefore is rejected.

And what do men see? What there is, and not what God desires to see.

Femininity will necessarily manifest itself in relationships both with representatives of one's own sex and the opposite. This is not something that should be the same and standard in all women, but what has its uniqueness in each separate case and reflects personality features of exclusively one person.

There are general factors that femininity includes—this is tenderness, ability to show care for others' needs, special sensitivity to others' grief, unconditional respect for others' opinions, heartfelt cheerfulness, gentleness in communication, honoring others above oneself, undisguised physical weakness within reasonable limits and natural desire to turn for help to stronger representatives of humanity, warmth in relationships, ability to create coziness, harmony and love in these relationships. Absence of nagging, reproaches for inappropriate behavior, attempts to change a person for the better. This is the ability to find beauty in the surrounding world and sincere expression of one's admiration for everything that happens and surrounds. This is the ability to keep all emotions under control of reason and reveal through one's reaction to irritants harmony of soul, spirit and one's spiritual maturity.

Femininity knows how to find joy in trifles, and also extract precious from worthless, show attention to details and create happiness where it is present. It very skillfully adapts to any life situations and manifests special flexibility in relationships with difficult people, trying not to create conflict situations.

Explanation of femininity may turn out to be much more complex than it actually is. When this soul property is inherent in a woman, she does not think about the next step and does not reflect for long about what to say or how to behave. She simply manifests herself in all her beauty and feels confident, not fearing attacks or condemnation.

Femininity is harmony in relationships with God and the ability to transmit to the world the beauty of God's character, which He writes with His hand in the heart of His daughter that is open to changes. This is cooperation with Heaven, in which the Lord endows the soul with special influence and protection from above, not described in the characteristics of femininity.

If anyone is interested in a woman becoming a woman, it is Heaven, which knows what femininity represents.

1. Please read 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Gen. 1:26-27; 2:22-24; Eccl. 7:28-29; Prov. 9:10-18; 19:14; 20:5; 31:10-31; Col. 3:12-19; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 1 Pet. 3:1-12; Heb. 12:14 in light of this lesson.

2. What other verses from the Bible came to your memory?

3. What did you understand from this topic?

4. Does the fact that woman was created in the image and likeness of God bring you joy? What does this mean?

5. Does the Lord desire to restore His image and likeness in woman?

6. Does the prospect of your transformation that the Lord conceived in the plan of redemption bring you joy?

7. Is it necessary to understand God's plan for restoring God's image in us in order to cooperate with it?

8. How do you understand in light of our lesson the verse from 1 Cor. 6:20: "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's"?

9. How can a woman understand whether femininity is present in her heart?

10. Is a woman's femininity holiness, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Rom. 6:22.

11. Read 2 Cor. 3:18: "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Does this verse give a hint about how a woman is endowed with femininity?

12. Do you think a man can better determine than a woman whether a woman possesses femininity?

13. What qualities of femininity are familiar to you?

14. What is femininity needed for?

15. Did this lesson help you think about something very important?