Which is Better

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

WHICH IS BETTER

1 Cor 7:39-40

39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is — and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

NIV

This is the last of Paul’s comments regarding relationships, at least in this portion of the letter. There are other instructions regarding widows in the sense that a woman is still young enough to bear children she should remarry, but if she is past her age of being children, she should remain a widow. We think this is the same as what Paul is saying here, although not mentioning age. Still, there was something different as far as how women were perceived as it is today. For the most part, a woman’s identity was always related to a man, first as the daughter of, then the wife of, or as the mother of. To be a widow, that may have even been seen as the widow of. Still, it was very rare that a woman was seen as a single entity for herself. There have been instructions given regarding widows in that the church should take care of them. So in the manner, they are identified as a widow in the church, cared for by the church. Today, we have left those instructions by the wayside as most husbands have either provided some type of income for their wives should the man die first, or at least if they are older, the wife will receive her husband’s social security and any life insurance he might have. But the church has nothing to do with caring for a widow at least that is how it seems. Oh, at first there might be some concerns, but those concerns eventually wain and she is left to fend for herself. Of course, on the other hand, many women in our culture today have taken on their own identity excluding any relationship with a man. This whole woman’s equality movement has taken such root in our culture and has developed this attitude that women should be the same as men in all respects of life. So then it would be natural that a widow would not look to the church for her care, as she is more than capable of caring for herself, making all her own choices and decisions for her life, at least, as long as she is financially sound enough to do so. That is more or less what Paul is saying here. A woman, a widow has the right to make her own choice whether she wants to remarry or stay a widow. All those concepts of the culture have been set aside in the church and women have been lifted up to have their own choices in life, as such their own identity. So then should we not still care for a widow if she chooses to remain as one? Paul says she would be happier if she stays a widow. Are men that much of a burden, or is it that marriage itself has more responsibilities and being single? That may be at the center of Paul’s point here. But it still comes back to the way God intended his creation to live and that is a man and a woman being together living as one. God did not intend for people to be single and celibate, but to be joined together and enjoy all the benefits of a union. If everyone lived in accordance with the will of God, rather than their own will, it would be far better.