1 Corinthians 11:7-12
A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
This continues a very challenging passage. Even though Paul is addressing a cultural issue, his timeless truth peeks through. Although cultural sensitivity is important as we take the gospel to the nations, we must never lose sight that we are mutually dependent upon one another. No one is in isolation from others. We all influence others, even if we attempt to isolate ourselves. Most importantly, we must acknowledge our dependency upon God who is the source of our life. A man and woman are dependent on one another. Men must have a mother and women must have men to bear children. Paul was not a scientist but an observer of life. He is giving a lay perspective about how life originates. With God as creator, we must see ourselves as part of the larger group of humanity. Within this larger group are those who believe in Jesus. When we are “in the Lord,” our dependence on others grows because it is through fellowship with other believers that we grow closer to God.
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