In the Beginning
Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman,
neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
—1 Corinthians 11:11
When you think of the word woman., what is the first thing that
comes to your mind? Depending on your experience or encounters
you have had, there will be multiple different answers. With the way
the people in the world are today, I am sure your concept of a woman
is distorted. We live in a time wherein, in my opinion, the word
woman has been diluted, watered down. Most men, when they think
of woman, they believe sex or maybe even control.
Suppose you took time-out to study our history of women in
our country or the world for that matter. In almost all cases, women
have been excluded and, when mentioned, are typically portrayed in
sex-stereotypical roles such as wives, mothers, daughters, and mis-
tresses. So how can we think of the woman or see women in a differ-
ent light? What is a woman’s worth?
If you read my first book, you are designed to be successful;
you will understand when I say there is a massive difference in how
a woman is viewed in this world by men and how Christ viewed
women. Well, sometimes in life, you must go back and renew your
mind to understand the importance of that word, woman, utterly.
Over centuries, women have been devalued time and time
again, even by some women, yet we must always seek answers to life
by using God’s Word in everything. So let us find out how Jesus him-
self valued women. I mean, that is who we are supposed to follow.
Scripture says speaking of Jesus, “I am the way, the truth, and
the Life,” so let us dive into it. What does the Word of God say about
a woman? In the beginning, God said, “Let us make man in our own
image. In the image of God, He created him...” Most people stop
right there. Society will pump their chest out and roar, as if to say,
“This is a man’s world” kind of roar. But it is a funny thing about
God. Unlike man, he will finish the work that he started.
God continues and says, “...He created him, male and female.”
That is a big statement. So unlike the many ways you may have come
to understand, God created the male and the female simultaneously,
which means you are equally as important to God’s plan and will as
any creature on earth.
God didn’t make a man, give him orders, and exclude the
woman. No, He spoke to us in unison. Does Scripture not show
you this? You were born spiritually at the same time as a man, which
makes us equal in the sight of God. Let that sink in for a moment.
Let it sink some more. To top it off, guess what? When God blessed
man, he blessed you also.
You see, therefore, it is so important to learn how to read and
study the Word on your own. An old Russian proverb says, “Doveryai,
no proveryai,” which means, “Trust, but verify.” Therefore, reading
for yourself is so vital in ascertaining what truth is.
It would be best if you continuously verified which, by the way,
will make some people a bit upset; however, at least you are not being
misled. You see, ladies, you have to shake off how the world has
treated you and understand that God has demonstrated the same
trust in you as in man. If not, he would not have spoken to you and
gave special instruction to you as he did the man. God told them,
“‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule.”
So you are a big deal in God’s creation and have a right to stand
beside the man in this world and rule. Ruling does not mean being
placed in a box as if you can only do specific jobs. Once you under-
stand this, there will no need for competition.
Now I know some people will fight against this notion. I am
sure it is to be expected. However, I want to stick with Scripture on
this matter and leave out feelings and emotions based on gender bias
or man’s tradition. I like the term most people say to “keep it 100,”
and my “100” is the Bible. God spoke to us simultaneously and told
us, together, to be fruitful and multiply. To multiply, and if my logic
is correct, that takes both a male and a female to do that; so it appears
there is no us without you.
I am going to go deeper because some of you have been deceived,
ladies. So I want to drive this point in like a nail because I do not
want you to miss how important a woman is in God’s eyes. There
has always been this masculine message about the Scripture regard-
ing who was created first in the physical. Okay, I get it. It is hard to
argue with facts, and I am sure you have heard this as well. It is like
blah, blah, blah. We know man, in the physical sense, God created
first, but it is time we stop picking and choosing and teach the whole
Bible. Now can I get a little amen from somebody?
While this is true, you cannot pick and choose what God’s
instruction was and still is for us in this world. While being formed
first, God also gave men a particular responsibility, and there was
an expectation that God spoke in the Old Testament and the New
Testament. He told the formed first man to work. Do you recall that
scripture? In essence, God said to man, “I am putting you in this gar-
den. Now work it.” God used the word to dress it, which ultimately
means “to work.” To work is the first thing in understanding the
importance of a woman to a man; he needs to work. Now God told
man before there was any other person to our knowledge around in
the garden (Genesis 2:15).
Now, ladies, I want to say—before I go any further—if you see
a man that tickles your fancy, you must understand that if he wants
to be in your life, he needs to understand he needs to have a job or
get a job, and that is that. Remember that is what God told a man to
do: to work. And if he is not working, he may not be ready to be the
drink of water you so desire.Freddie Floyd Jr God’s GiFt (Woman)
10 11
More importantly, you need to understand he needs to work.
Furthermore, ladies, if God told a man to work, the question is now,
Why do you house a man that is going against God’s order? And,
making matters worse, you dare to complain to God about him not
being a man. Understanding is a small example of what was meant
in Scripture when it says, “My people perish for lack of knowledge”
(Hosea 4:6).
We cannot omit what God instructs us to do, and there is no
wonder why there is such a lack of understanding of the importance
of a woman or even her value. When a man does not want to work,
ladies, that is out of God’s order. The Bible calls it being idle. Healthy
men who are not working should have no purpose in dating anyone
until they get it together because you cannot expect him to lead you
if he cannot lead himself, and working is God’s command to a male.
The problem that I have with some women—my issue with some
women that I run into is, you will take a broke, nonworking man in
and house him, yet complain about a man who is working because
he doesn’t make enough.
You see, ladies, some of you have it backward. A job is a job.
And it does not matter what type of job it is. If it is legal, we have
no right to look down on any man just because you may earn more
money than he does, because in reality, ladies, as quiet as it’s kept if a
man is working, he is following God’s word.
Now it does not mean he cannot work on improving himself,
but he must work. That is the first thing that should attract you to
him. He goes to work. He has a job. That is the first thing God told
man. So again, being formed first comes with a command to make a
living for yourself. If any of us want to get right with God, we must
stop choosing what part of the Bible we want to follow. You cannot,
as a man, so-called rule over [woman] if you are not willing to do the
most straightforward task: to go to work.
Just as a disclaimer, when God told the man to rule over woman,
let’s understand what that means in its proper context. First he spoke
to a woman being a wife and not any random woman; so, boyfriends,
stick a sock in it when you expect a girlfriend to submit to you—not
happening. Secondly, rule means “being responsible for your fam-
ily”—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Your spouse is not some slave
that you say fetch to; she is your life partner, and we must treat her
as such.
It is the man’s responsibility to make things right when things
are wrong, so please allow that to sink in as well. If a man is not
ready to be responsible, he is not prepared to be your husband now.
Let that sink in, ladies. Men, you are tasked to be an overseer of your
family. You are the head, and this does not mean ownership.
Why do you suppose God instructed husbands to love their
wives as their bodies? It is because he who loves his wife loves himself.
And there is no man alive—at least, in his right mind—who wants to
hurt himself. So, ladies, I hope this gives you a better understanding
of how important you are so I may continue.
In the spiritual form, he told them both to rule the Earth, so let
us get that clear. God gave the ability to lead or oversee in this life to
both male and female, but here is where God truly sets the woman
apart from the man—besides the natural brute strength—which so
many people seem to not understand, or they do not care. This is
particularly important to any man that wants to love a woman and
to one day marry her.
When God decided to make someone suitable for the man,
Scripture says everything needed for her comfort was already cre-
ated. Boom, and there it is. Men, read that part again. Now, ladies,
you read that part again. I understand we should work together, but
before we disobeyed God, that is the way it went down. He did not
tell her to go to work, as he said to the man. This is a huge deal when
understanding who you are in the sight of God; therefore, I say a
woman is a gift from God. You were supposed to be taken care of,
period. It is like God is saying, “Man, go to work, and when you have
worked, I will bring something pleasant to the eye. But you must
take tender care of what I am about to give you.”
Now, ladies, disclaimer alert. Always remember you are to be
his helper, his partner, so there may be times where you need to roll
up your sleeves and help in the areas where you see help is needed.
Especially now, as we live in an era where some women want every-
thing given to them, always remember, ladies: to whom much is
given, much is required, so I do not want you to think this is just
about you, having no responsibility. We all have roles to play in our
success journey; however, for now, I want to encourage you, woman,
that you are more than society has shown you to be. You are more,
just more.
The Bible teaches us to show honor to the woman. Before I go
any further, disclaimer alert: we understand that all women are not
worthy of this treatment. In later chapters, I will talk about that just
as all men are not worthy of respect; however, as a biblical man led by
God, it is your duty to understand how we live our day-to-day lives
while in this sinful world. (Disclaimer over.)
Now back to the pressing matter. Jesus is supposed to be our
example. The Bible says, “be ye holy, as I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15–17).
That word holy means to be set apart from the rest of the world. So
he is our example that we should model ourselves after. I want to
speak very briefly regarding what men need to ask of God.
Gentlemen, given our aggressive nature to hunt, we should
always ask for a spirit of discernment (ability to judge well). You see,
as men—as leaders—we are supposed to seek God’s approval and not
the acceptance of our little man. I am sure you know what I mean,
but if not, you will get it later.
But before I start to ramble, let us get back to business. We as
men must understand the importance and how precious you are, so
we must always seek the Bible’s response as to how we treat a woman;
and Jesus is our greatest example as to how to treat a woman. Let us
look at how Jesus Christ himself, according to Scripture, treated the
woman. Jesus Christ has done more to elevate women’s status to a
position of high honor and respect than any man alive or dead. I bet
you that statement surprises you, huh?
History is loaded with bad examples of how men have used
their superior size and strength to intimidate, dominate, and at
times, abuse women. As of this book’s writing, I am currently in Iraq
working on a contract, so I get an entire glance at how this side of
the world still looks at a woman. However, I have also traveled and
worked in Kuwait and Afghanistan, and in these cultures and reli-
gions today, they still treat a woman on a level beneath men. There
are far too many cases of women being abused by men verbally, psy-
chologically, and physically. History has not been kind to women,
and on behalf of all men, I apologize.
When Jesus came along, he changed all that not in word but
in his actions toward them. To God be the glory. So now I am just
trying to show you there has been a change, although man has been
resistant. Jesus demonstrated a high value on women by recognizing
their intrinsic value as persons. For Christ, women have an intrinsic
value equal to that of men. Jesus said, “...have you not read, that he
which made them at the beginning [The Creator] ‘made them male
and female’” (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4).
Women are created in the image of God just as men are. Like
men, they have self-awareness, have personal freedoms, a measure of
self-determination, and personal responsibility for their actions.
Jesus regularly addressed women directly while in public. It was
very unusual for a man to do so during those times (John 4:27). The
disciples were amazed to see Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman
at the well of Sychar (John 4:7–26). He also spoke freely with the
woman taken in adultery (John 8:10–11). Luke, who gives ample
attention to women in his Gospel notes that Jesus spoke publicly
with the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12–13), the woman with the bleed-
ing disorder (Luke 8:48; Matthew 9:22; Mark 5:34), and a woman
who called to Him from a crowd (Luke 11:27–28).
He showed a high value He placed on women by minister-
ing to them vitally and practically, both physically and spiritually.
Numerous healings and the casting out of demons from women dis-
play Jesus’s care and concern for women.
Several such incidents are only briefly recorded. Jesus healed
Peter’s mother-in-law and allowed her in return to minister to Him
(Mark 1:30–31; Matthew 8:14–15; Luke 4:38–39). Christ healed
a woman who was bent over for eighteen years (Luke 13:10–17).
Courageously, on the sabbath and inside the synagogue before hostile
religious leaders, Jesus helped and defended this poor woman. He
spoke to her, tenderly placed His hands on her, and caused her to
stand erect, for which she glorified God. He then acknowledged her
equal standing with men in Israel’s religious heritage by referring to
her as a daughter of Abraham (John 8:33, 39). Ladies, you are not
objects to be dismissed at will.
There were many other instances in which he was kind to
women; it did not matter if they were sinners, poor, or sick, and he
made sure they were better than when he left them. Please, let us
not forget that after the death of Jesus, it was a woman that he first
showed himself to. So even then, God held a woman in high regard.
If we can help, it is my thought process that we shouldn’t speak
harshly to women—especially a Godly woman. Will the real men
please stand up? Women are searching for you. Can you imagine
the love that a man displays with his daughter if he tries to have that
type of love, but more significant, to his woman? What a difference
the world would be. Here is a question to all men: if God designed
a woman for the man, what gives us the right to mistreat her? I will
wait on that answer.
More importantly, ladies, why do you accept any old thing?
Ladies, you must know your worth. You cannot continue to take
anything from a man, mainly to have a man. An old song was out,
some years back, in which the lyrics said, “Having a piece of man is
better than having no man at all.” I ask you, is that what are we doing
now? Do you think so little of yourself that you take anything to have
a man? I am taking a quote from the cartoon lion king: remember
who you are. Or find out who you are. Do you not understand your
power?
Wars are fought over a woman; men kill just to have the right
to be with you. Men are in jail today over the simple right to be your
man. Although I understand it is not easy being a woman, but you
need to understand your power. Understand how precious you are.
Just like Alicia Keys said it best, “A real man knows a real woman
when he sees her, and a real man just cannot deny a woman’s worth.”
I wholeheartedly believe that; however, the key is that you as woman
must know it and believe it.
What is a woman worth? What is the value of a woman? If you
are reading this now—and with all the examples I have given you
regarding Scripture as to how important a woman is to this Earth by
way of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ—yet you are not beginning
to understand this, just stop reading and put this book down. You are
not ready yet. If you are getting it with understanding, please keep
reading but I go deeper backed by scripture. Let us talk about who
you are ladies. Stop questioning yourself because someone does not
get you. Their opinion says nothing about your worth, so go ahead
and flip the page and let us continue to build you up woman. Sisters,
rise to your high place.
