Could there be a difference in how men and women are to posture themselves before God? This occurred to me recently upon a rather fun observation. How I have seen women arrive at certain points in their lives or how women are ushered through difficulties in their periods of highest alignment. I often hear stories from the women in my life and see accounts of women who talk about “letting go” and “saying yes” and watching magic happen. I hardly ever see men say the same. I have also noticed a lot of the spiritual gurus who preach yes-ness are mostly women. I do not know many men who preach that. Men gurus may go as far as preaching detachment. This made me wonder whether this was connected to the biblical concept of men leading and women submitting. Was the apostle Paul suggesting a what is merely natural order?

Could it be that when it is said that men are supposed to lead and women follow; it is not about the relationship between shepherd and sheep but rather between activator and incubator? One stirs while the other holds. The man activates and the woman incubates. This angle seems to make a lot more sense given that it even mirrors an aspect of the reproductive process.

It is as though men are designed to find their alignment by taking action in the direction of their inspiration and get assistance from God while women are to visualize and speak clearly about what they want and let God bring it to them.

Sometimes it is an activating man meeting a clear-seeing woman which could make for a proper activation-incubation dynamic. But both have to be in proper posture for God’s assistance. The man must be active in that the more engaged he is in his activity the more blessings he gets whilst for the woman the more clearly she sees what she desires and puts it before God the more likely it is brought to her.

This could explain why we see a lot of women at the courtship stage eager to be with a man who is actively working on a vision or or a mission. They are more likely to work along with said man than sometimes a man who appears stable but may not be going in the direction of activating a deeper desire. Conversely, this could explain the impatience men have with women who may not be able to be receptive to their goals and mission. It may play out through the discourse of women thinking men are intimidated by their professional or academic prowess whilst the men are thinking “what can she incubate for me if she is already satisfied with what she has accomplished thus far?” It may not be that her prowess is a deterrent but her satisfaction. Hence the story of the corporate professional who ends caught up in a love bond with a rogue who cannot seem to abandon his ways. Rogues/scammers/criminals, ironically, are quite activated. Corporate women can be rendered very useful to a man of such inclinations so it is very likely that at some point in the relationship it feels like spiritual alignment because both are postured quite appropriately to align quite fittingly. The only issue is; unless God is in the mix, for obvious reasons, this may not end well.

Thus, leadership and submission in men and women may be more about a posture towards God than a posture towards each other. By taking action the man activates the leader within prompting divine assistance. By submitting to higher power and wisdom the woman prompts divine response. Taking initiative for men is the key. We are co-creators with God in a way so our actions can carry God’s imprint when we are faith inspired. Our faith is expressed through our actions and God’s blessings are evident in the continuity we see along the way. Women, as incubators may be better designed to expect thus it is important for them to clear about what they desire. Hence, it appears God listens to what women recite and aligns them with what the men are igniting.

Men activate; women incubate. Women recite; men ignite. When a couple is postured to fill these roles there may be a higher chance of natural alignment.

Food for thought.

by Julian Michael Yong