Monster Poem: The Bible for Girls -- 128 Lines Long!

I told a friend I was really excited about writing poems, since as long as I put pen to paper, great lines just seemed to roll off the ballpoint onto the page. So I asked her for a topic idea and she suggested I write something about sisters. So that's what I tried to do. It expanded into about young women in general, and after a point of empathizing as a single man, gained a thematic focus about what sort of insight into how to live our lives that single people, in particular girls, can gain from the Bible. Please do give me feedback, and share it with others if you think it's worth so doing.

The Bible for Girls

Part I

Something that is not explicit in the Bible book

Is where the little women in our lives should go to look

for passages that tell them how their gender ought to be

Most commands seem to be aimed at guys like you and me

All the him’s and he’s and man’s and men’s and sons and boys

seem to be describing that which frequently annoys:

A patriarchal custom which ignores the unwed girl

and gives no heed to womenkind throughout the whole wide world

Are they esteemed as less than men? Why should this ever be?

Is it their plight to be perceived by men as property?

The modern liberal-educated woman might perceive

that old religious books are merely man-made, and deceive

but this is merely one more modern way to find excuse

to disregard  the difficult and leave it to disuse.

The Bible isn’t hard to understand for those who try

The answers are revealed to those who seek them, by and by

So what then do we make of what appears to be a lack

of Biblical prescriptions for how ladies ought to act?

The ones that mention women all appear to be for wives

but what of those among us who are living single lives?

As a man both young and single, I can sympathize

For we unwed it seems that marriage does but tantalize

It seems a simple thing to use your energies to love

the person who’s right next to you, in praise of God above

but if there’s no one in your bed for whom you have ‘amor’

how can you live for God until the day you’re spoken for?

In fact, the Bible’s full of verses that describe for you

as single men or women, many things which you can do

to give God glory, whether you were born a boy or girl

The reason for the language used, I now wish to unfurl

In older languages, the masculine and plural mean

that both the genders are implied, thus “kings” can cover “queen”

Context will determine if the crowd is only male

Often, it’s generic, and this does affect the tale

Part II

If ev-ery address before the Israelites was done

so that the words applied themselves to each and every one

who heard the words the prophets spoke, directed “to a man”

including all the womenfolk and children in the land

then all the words that follow are for women hearers too!

In this way, almost everything that’s written is for you

The only parts that are exempt are those which specify

that they are rules for fathers, mothers, husbands, God, and wives

Those plurals do not cover all, unlike the prior list

I hope there’s no more things left to explain that I have missed

You should now see that nearly everywhere where God descends (intends?)

to give a law for all mankind, it isn’t just for men.

Part III

Yet, ladies, you are special, I acknowledge that it’s true

and there indeed are passages that only speak to you

But such exist for men as well, the reason being thus:

God acknowledges that He placed differences in us

and these account for why He’s given each of us a role

dependent on our destiny as written on our soul.

Men are made to model certain aspects of God’s heart

Women complement these roles and each sex plays a part

in working hand in hand, at modeling divinity

by leading and submitting, like the Holy Trinity.

God is God. The Father isn’t greater ‘cause He leads

And men aren’t ‘over women,’ no, each half of us still needs

to lean upon the other so we do not slip or fall

The way that we accomplish this’s by answering the call

to live our lives according to the framework handed down

and not reject our gender’s roles because we feel too proud

Some men are just as unwilling to lead a wife or child

as many women are to be submissive when they’re riled

But whether we agree with God is not the question here

It’s whether we’ll obey our Lord because we hold Him dear

And note, what I have said above now isn’t for us all

but only those who choose to marry, if that be their call

It’s true the gender differences in Christianity

are mainly just apparent for the ones who married be

The followers of Christ who haven’t yet to give their hand

to one another in a bond, identical still stand

In large part, I should say, at least. The Church, you see, remains

a further symbol of a bride God washes clean of stains

And so, the order isn’t gone, it’s just in different realms

In corporate worship you should see a pastor at the helm

And all the other members are the flock he’s got to lead

So you and I, as single folk, be careful where we feed!

Whom to marry’s most important, so is where to take

your soul to gain from sermons and its natural thirst to slake

So with good reason, Scripture does devote much time to teach

the way to be a godly spouse, and what a church should preach

Part IV

It might seem like you’re all left out, because you’re still unwed

but this just isn’t true, because He’ll sanctify you yet

What do you think the purpose of this season you are in

is all about if not to learn the best way to begin

the next phase that you’re yearning for, so that it all goes well

and you will love your chosen spouse more than you love yourself?

You’re not just killing time while single, you are learning how

to be a godly wife or husband in the here and now

Then, when the time is right for you to join yourself with them

you’ll have no fear because the Christ is with you to the end

And if you’d rather be a single witness for the Lord

you’re not alone! Paul thought that those like you could do much more

Because you’re not “tied down,” there are more risks that you can take

And missions you can shoulder which a married wife can’t make

A single girl or single guy can be a mighty force

when they are shining brightly so the world knows they’re the Lord’s

The path diverges at the point of marriage. What you choose

will only change the avenue through which you spread the News

A married spouse will teach their children and community

the truth of God by modeling to them the Trinity

A single man or woman can be fearless in the throng

which threatens them with life and limb and blames them for all wrong

Of course, there can be overlap, and martyrs may be wives

just as single people can live long and healthy lives

Whatever happens to you, you can rest assured of this:

what’s waiting on the other side is God and total bliss

The choice for you to make down here is how you wish to serve

Be married to a man, or God, for which[ever] you have the nerve

Neither choice is right or wrong, it all depends on whether

you step out in your human power or have Christ as your tether

The Bible’s rich in helpful words to guide you in your path

as you endeavor to exhort sinners to flee His wrath

Part V

You face a choice like I do also, hence my lengthy rhymes

Marriage is a journey I have thought o’er many times

And though I’ve tried to sculpt this letter for a single theme

my thoughts seem to return to this, no matter how I scheme

It’s just as well, because the answer to the question asked

was given way up in ‘Part II,’ and then I took the task

to flesh out all the loose ends that I brought up as I went

 And now, I think I’ve wrapped it up. I hope that what I meant

to say was understood by all who read it through the end

A final word: no matter what, the Lord will be your friend

whether you remain unwed or marry in this life

God will carry you through every single human strife

Just be sure to love Him more than any earthly man

and I assert that you’ll enjoy discovering His plan.

~ Rak Chazak