Years ago, women had no rights. They were mere chattels tethered to their father and then to their husband. Happily, there have been great advances in women’s rights, with hopefully more to come. And yet, I wonder sometimes whether in some ways, we’ve not quite hit the mark.

Should a woman have the same opportunities as a man? Absolutely. Should she get equal pay for equal work? Totally. So let’s keep that going.

But what of a woman’s duty to her family? We talked about a man’s duty yesterday, but things become a lot trickier for the woman – given that she is, after all, the child bearer; given the heavy dependence of children on their mother during those early years.

Getting that balance right ain’t easy. Sadly, some women, in different ways to men of course, have also forsaken their duty to family in search of career. And understandably there’s been a reaction to the notion of women as the weaker sex, the lesser partner in marriage. So, what’s God’s take on all of this?

Proverbs 31:25-29 She is a strong person, and people respect her. She looks to the future with confidence. She speaks with wisdom and teaches others to be loving and kind. She oversees the care of her house. She is never lazy. Her children say good things about her. Her husband brags about her and says, “There are many good women, but you are the best.”

What a powerful and positive take on womanhood. Each wife has a duty to her husband and her family. Step up.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.

Families, the world over, are falling apart. Sure, there are vibrant families too. But increasingly, with the invasion of technology and all that that brings into the home, with the rise of a ‘me-centred’ take on life, it’s little wonder that both the extended and the nuclear family are under siege.

A major contributing factor without doubt is that many men have, for one reason or another, lost their sense of duty toward their family. In many parts of the world, healthy masculinity has fallen out of favour. Men no longer respect, protect and nurture their wives. The children no longer obey their parents. And so, frankly, many men have just plain given up. Society, in many cases, has given up.

American astrobiologist David Grinspoon once said, “There is a real danger of unintended consequences, of encouraging people to give up. Pessimism, if it becomes a habit, can reinforce a narrative of unstoppable decline. If there is nothing we can do, that releases us from our obligations.”

And there’s the rub. It’s happening everywhere … so I’ll just go with the flow. Well, men, listen up:

1 Peter 3:7 … you husbands should live with your wives in an understanding way, since they are [physically] weaker than you. You should show them respect, because God gives them the same blessing he gives you—the grace of true life. Do this so that nothing will stop your prayers from being heard.

Each husband has a duty to his wife and his family. Step up.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.

The relationship between work and rest is an interesting one. Many work so hard that it drives them into the ground. Others suffer from too little “work” and too much rest, driving them to boredom and loneliness.

Wherever you are on that continuum, striking a happy medium isn’t always easy. When we’re young and working hard, satisfying though that may be, we’re hoping that at some point, it’s going to get easier. We long for a comfortable existence without too much effort.

Eventually, trying to do the right thing when everyone else seems to be doing the complete opposite – well, it’s exhausting. Better just to coast along and hope for the best. It’s working for everyone else.

The easy life is so alluring, isn’t it? Legendary 1970’s rock band ACDC had a hit back in the day with their infectious rock song, “Highway to Hell”. In part, the lyrics go like this:

No stop signs, speed limit. Nobody's gonna slow me down.
Like a wheel, gonna spin it. I’m on the highway to hell. Highway to hell.

So many people have rocked along to that tune with such fervour.

A few years earlier, author and theologian C.S. Lewis put it like this: The safest road to hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.

And a couple of thousand years before that, Jesus put it like this:

Matthew 7:13 You can enter true life only through the narrow gate. The gate to hell is very wide, and there is plenty of room on the road that leads there. Many people go that way.

Don’t be fooled. The easy road inevitably turns out to be the highway to hell.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.