Personhood – Man and Woman in God’s Plan

“Personhood is not a characteristic of man or woman but what they are.” The authors of the Birds and the Bees broke this concept into three items:

1. We are made in the image and likeness of God.
2. Our body is good.
3. We are to be fully functioning man and woman in God’s plan.

So, let’s get into it, shall we… We are made in the image and likeness of God. We have all heard this statement over and over and all around. However, do we truly understand and appreciate that our body is an incredible sign of God’s love for us and the world?

If you take the time to look all around you, what do you see? Different colours, forms, and features. Each person designed uniquely and lovingly by God’s hand to be a gift to others, to fit with another. We are part of creation and this is good! So why not celebrate this notion that we are made in God’s image and likeness by facilitating the virtues that make us, us.

In regard to our sexuality, if we are each uniquely made as a gift for another, this gift allows us the opportunity to give freely and intimately of ourselves in love, faith, respect, joy, patience, cooperation etc, for the good of your spouse. For our children’s sexuality, we set a foundation of worth, value, respect and love in their person and body as well.

The body is good. Our body was designed by God and it’s a sincere gift created to do good, to work for the good of others and to mirror the image of Goodness Himself.

Our physical bodies and its functions were made to be in sync with each other. There should be no shame, resistance, or peculiar wonderment of  how our bodies truly become one flesh. We should teach our children (at the appropriate age and use of appropriate language) about their bodies, its physical changes and all the things their bodies will do because it was created by God to help our bodies function well.

Man and woman in God’s plan. “God created man and woman not to use, confuse, and frustrate one another, but to love, understand, and serve one another as perfect helpmates” (Popcak pg 49, Gen 2:18).

If you journeyed with us from the beginning, we are called to live out our masculinity and femininity, both in the virtues of love, responsibility, faith, respect, intimacy, cooperation, joy and now personhood, to the fullest and as best as we can.

The representation of masculinity and femininity may have been skewed over time; however, their differences were not meant to be singled out as a deficiency. Rather,  it was made to complement and balance—both equally valuable in unique capabilities and in strength— that God intended for us so we can express our humanity. It is important to teach our children this.

It’s not just girls like dolls and boys like trucks. Or women were only made to nurture, and men only made to provide.

We were made to express our unique masculine and feminine qualities and exhibit all the virtues, together, hand in hand, synchronously with each other and for each other.

Visit aflcrc.org and our social media platforms – @familylifecommission or WhatsApp 299-1047 as we seek to educate parents about healthy and age-appropriate sex and sexuality conversations with their children.