Let’s check out what happened so far in this “love story.” We’ve been looking at cultural norms in the patriarchal age going back to about 1921- 1491B.C. hundreds of years. Even though it may be a long time ago, some of the things and the way things happened before bear resemblance with setting examples of “how” we consider reviewing these “ways” of long ago and applying them to today’s new fashion modern ways; which sometimes are not desirable. For example, Rachel died at 108 years about 1728 B.C. She died in childbirth to her second son Benjamin around 1728 B.C. Benjamin was born after Joseph, (the first child of Rachel and Jacob together), around 1745 B.C. and died at 110 years. This culture gave us great people of faith. When Rachel met Jacob, she was a virgin.
That’s the way it was then. Women and young maidens didn’t flirt around and jump into bed and have sex at the first look or date. When Rachel saw she was barren, she gave one of her maids, Bilhah, to be wife to Jacob so they could have children. No, I am not suggesting we go back to this type, not at all. If you read further into the account, they might have been better off if they had waited to have her own children by Jacob. Let’s get back to the flirting part. Our younger women could learn a lot about “catching” a man if they would be more patient and modest. I suggest men want women to be somewhat more modest and patient. A man wants to call the woman his own and likes to know what he’s getting into before such “quick action!” The women don’t make it easy on themselves by running after men. All the anxiousness leads to unsure decision making and it’s often motivated by fear of never getting a man. I recommend you “pray.” The Lord wants you to be married and devoted to one man and the man devoted to one woman. How is a man to know who to marry if you have already slept with 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 or more different men. This is no game. It’s real serious stuff. Think about it before. Stop-look-listen before making that serious step of sex before getting to know a guy. Sex was made to be a beautiful union. Unfortunately, in the bible when Adam and Eve came out with the fig leaves it was linked with sex. That is how the adversary planned it and Adam and Eve fell into his trap of deception. The adversary would have us believe sex is a bad thing. But, it was never meant to be bad. We don’t have to continue to be deceived. I believe men appreciate the cautiousness of women. If a man is really going to put his best provisions beforehand, he wants the best woman for a long term relationship leading to marriage. Some young women think if they don’t sleep with the guy right away, “I’m going to lose him.” Was he worth all that before you allowed promiscuity…I ask you? Going back to some of the old ways about keeping to one woman or keeping to one man isn’t all that bad of an idea. Consider a lifetime of misery. It just takes a while to get to know a person and to know yourself as well. How about the young women who continue believing the same “lie” over and over again after having 1-2-3-4 children and the man promises marriage, but never commits. Why should he? If you can get all the milk, why do you need to buy the cow?? Anyway, Rachel and Jacob had a loving committed marriage relationship.
Thanks for reading!
Jeanette Grattan Parker, Founder-Superintendent Today’s Fresh Start Charter School 323-293-9826 www.todaysfreshstart.org; [email protected] [email protected] tm “Inquiring minds want to know.”© All rights reserved©Askdrjeanetteparker.com tm
