Someone has illustrated the differences between men and women this way: "A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife." Probably an over generalization, but it does imply a difference between men and women that is often denied.

In this age of equality, we must not lose sight of our differences. They reach beyond the obvious physical dissimilarities. There are clear distinctions between men and women, but these differences have nothing to do with our worth. At a time when a woman was viewed first as the property of her father and then of her husband, the apostle Paul asserted: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:27).

In the home, it was the intent of the Creator to place man in the leadership role. He is to be head over his wife even as Christ is head of his church (Ephesians 5:23). That does not imply his superiority or her inferiority. It does indicate a difference in roles. Some men have abdicated their headship, and some women have usurped the leadership role in the home. Neither negates the fact that God has ordained how the home should function. Whether we like it or not, that's what the Bible teaches.

In the church, we have a similar dichotomy. Men are given the leadership role in the church. The apostles were all men. Elders or bishops were always men (1 Timothy 3:2). Male leadership permeates the biblical narrative. And, the role of women in the assembly is specifically limited (1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:22, 12). Again, these distinctions in roles do not suggest inferior worth.

It has become commonplace in this age of enlightenment to disregard the clear distinctions made in Scripture with reference to the sexes. The fact is that we are not all physically, intellectually or emotionally equal, but we are all equally loved by the Savior. We have different roles. Each of us must acknowledge his or her role and live up to God's expectations for us.