9 to 5

The last several years I have been seeking to understand in the spiritual realm what I am witnessing in the natural realm.  I have been shocked to find that God is using Theater to open my eyes to what has been and what is happening in our world today.  Earlier this year, I watched Medea and A Streetcar Named Desire, and God spoke volumes to my heart to give me understanding.  Last night, I watched 9 to 5, and I could see history unfolding right in front of my eyes.  This production was magnificent.  I love the director, my daughter-in-law played one of the lead parts, and a really close friend of mine played one of the other lead parts.  They were brilliant  They were funny.  They were insightful.  They were talented.  And they were right-on in their portrayal of what happened in our society in the late 70s.  I sat mesmerized as I watched the seeds of feminism being planted.

Now I know that many people will be offended by what I am going to say in this blog, but I have to speak what I am seeing.  When something is brought to the light, it can be defeated, but when it remains in the dark, the darkness wins.  Last night, feminism was brought to the light.  Now I want to look at it, because when feminism entered the picture, men were no longer allowed to take the lead.  Since the late 70s men have been systematically emasculated.  Hollywood portrays men as weak and ignorant, and women have bought into it.  This false assumption has entered into the hearts of women everywhere.  Women no longer allow men to take the lead in matters of discipline or finance, and if they are challenged, the war is on, and men just don't want to fight this war.  It has now become "politically correct" to always let the woman have her way.  There is hell to pay if we don't.

In the play 9 to 5  there was a boss who mistreated all of his employees, especially the women.  He was power hungry, and he was degrading to women.  The women finally got fed up and took control, and the audience applauds, but I am looking at this story with new eyes. 

Life is not fair.  It never will be.  We will come upon all kinds of unfair treatment in our lifetime, and God knows all the details of every trial we ever face.  He has a plan for it all, and that plan is to conform us into the image of His Son, but to get there, we have to do things His way.  Peter talks about this very issue in 1 Peter 2:13-25.  "You who are slaves (employees) must submit to your masters (employers) with all respect.  Do what they tell you - not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.  For God is pleased when, conscious of His will, you patiently endure unjust treatment." 

Let's stop right here for a minute.  Can you see it?  God wants us to SUBMIT to our employers with RESPECT, even if they do not deserve it.  Even if they are cruel, if we submit to them with respect, we are pleasing God.  The problem is that "self" gets in the way.  We get offended and hurt, and we think that life is not fair.  We get discontent, and then we start grumbling and complaining.  We say things about our boss that should never be said, even if it were true, because when we say these things, we are disrespecting the authority that God has placed over us, and God is not pleased.  So Peter goes on to say, "Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong.  But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.  For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you."  

If we despise the authority that God has placed over us, and "all authority is from God," we are doing wrong.  God is not glorified in us, and He is not pleased.  The Bible says that Jesus LEARNED obedience through the things He suffered.  I hate to say it, but suffering is part of the process of becoming like Christ, and sometimes God uses bosses to bring us to a place where we are being conformed into the image of His Son.  Peter goes on to say, "Christ is your example, and you must follow in His steps."

He never sinned,
     nor ever deceived anyone.
He did not retaliate when He was insulted,
     nor threaten revenge when He suffered.
He left His case in the hands of God,
     who always judges fairly. 
He personally carried our sins
     in His body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
     and live for what is right.
By His wounds
     you are healed.
Once you were like sheep
     who wandered away.
But now you have turned to your Shepherd,
     the guardian of your souls.

Jesus never tried to fight back.  He didn't try to get even or get revenge.  He didn't retaliate.  He left His case in the hands of God who always judges fairly.  Jesus then says that He paved the way so that we can do the same thing He did.  Even though we were once like sheep who wandered away - disrespecting our bosses - disrespecting men in general, we now have turned to our Shepherd Jesus, the guardian of our souls, and He will keep us safe and teach us to honor and respect those who are in authority over us once again.  

Then Peter goes on to say in 1 Peter 2, "In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands."  God wants us to SUBMIT to and HONOR our husbands just like He wants us to submit to and honor our bosses - even if they are cruel.  Now, I know that sometimes a woman has to leave for safety sake.  Face Jesus with your heart wide open, and He will tell you what you have to do, but most of the time, God is asking us to do the hard thing - submit and honor people who may not appreciate or deserve it.  "This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful, they put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands.  For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master.  You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do."

So when the feminist movement started, women stepped out from under the covering that God had ordained for them, and they became a covering for themselves.  Women became the head over man.  This is out of order, and God cannot bless it.  Now we have a whole generation of women who think that they do not need a man.  This generation of women think that if a man will do what she wants him to do, she will keep him around.  If not, she will make his life miserable or leave.  After all, she is the one who knows best.  I have a nephew who is 21 years old, and he does not date.  He is not looking for a woman because 95% of all the women he knows do not think they need a man.  He is waiting for one who does. 

So what did I take away from last night's play?  In my lifetime we have messed up so much.  The 60s brought in a disdain for authority - "Down with the man!"  It also ushered in the hippie movement.  Woodstock was another milestone.  People threw off all restraint.  Drugs.  Sex.  A disrespect for all authority.  The 70s began the emasculation of men.  And now, no one can tell us what to do.  I am going to sleep with who I want to sleep with - male or female.  I am going to do what I want to do, regardless of what anyone in authority says.  After all, the police are the bad guys.  Parents are the bad guys.  Teachers are the bad guys.  Christians are the bad guys.  Anyone who tries to restrain us are bad guys, ignorant and old-fashioned. 

Who would have thought that all of that would enter my heart from just seeing a play.  Thank you Jesus for that play.  Thank you Jesus the feminist movement is brought to the surface so that we can see it for what it is.  Thank you Jesus for eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to understand so that we can turn in our heart and live.  Thank you Jesus that even though we have been like sheep who have wandered away, now we can turn to our Shepherd, the guardian of our souls, and You will be there with open arms to receive us.

So now, LORD, I ask that this message go forth with power to set the captives free and heal the broken hearted, to give sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, to comfort those who mourn.  God, turn our hearts like water toward You once again.  Forgive us for undermining authority.  We are guilty.  Forgive us for not letting our husbands take the lead.  We are guilty.  Forgive us for thinking we know better than they do.  We are guilty.  LORD, You said that if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their sins, You will come and heal our land. Come and heal our land, LORD,  I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus.  AMEN

Blessings, my friends,

Terri