"The Rib," Inaugurated

What does it mean to "fear the Lord"?  For men and women alike, it is merely an understanding that we acknowledge God as our Creator, Savior and Comforter...and recognize that we are not Him.


So, why divide women from men, as Proverbs 31:30 says, "a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."?  In the context of the chapter, this woman is described admirably in her various vocations as wife, mother and woman.  Yes, being a woman is a vocation, too.  But most important is her "fear of the Lord," meaning, she knows what God expects of her, because God Himself has given her these vocations, or callings.  So, it makes sense to talk about women uniquely from men (since God does!), for they have much to offer in specific services to our neighbors in the upbuilding of the Heavenly Kingdom.


For that reason, this blog has been born.  Some of you might be wondering, "Why, 'The Rib?'" Well, many of you know Eve was created by God out of Adam's side, his rib.  This image of the rib not only carries biblical connotations that women were created for men (this needs to be unpacked in another post), but were given specific roles by God on earth, in the family and Church (this also needs thorough unpacking). Further, a rib is not a head, elbow or knee.  You get the idea. In short, the title is a metaphor for women.  


Our blog writers are all women.  We come from all walks of life: married, single, with children and barren, careers and with educations that run the gamut from Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Theology, Liberal Arts, Sciences, and everything in between.  Our personalities and experiences vary across the board, too.


But one thing remains consistent.  All of us fear the Lord, as women, and in the various vocations God has rightly given us.  Further, we are Lutheran, which simply means that we understand we are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:24


All of our views are so intricately tied to the faith that God has given us. Whether or not we all agree on temporal particularities, and whether a post is super academic or not, the impetus of our world views and our understandings of faith, eternal life and salvation, are very theological and Christocentric (Christ-centered).  Simply put, we adhere to Scripture, God's Word, alone. Further, we believe God's Word is living and active, having much to tell us about our lives today, and the means by which God continuously comes to us in Jesus, even now!


So, stay tuned! These posts promise to deliver!


Some of the topics in this blog may not be popular in our culture. Some may encourage you or cause you to question where a particular writer is coming from, perhaps stirring up unexpected emotions. We welcome your commentary, disagreements included.  All we ask is that you comment respectfully, which certainly does not mean censoring yourself.


But we hope you enjoy this blog. May this be a forum for encouragement in the faith (hopefully with some humor), and the gifts that come in both womanhood and manhood.  Remember, the impetus is not in our genders, (though God uses specific genders for His purpose...sorry, another topic for another post)... but in God's gifts, which always lead us to Jesus and the cross.