Recently, I watched the sequel to Eddie Murphy’s popular movie “Coming to America”. The original movie premiered back in my day in the ’80s (seems so long ago), back then it was one of my favorite moves.
Of course, now I view movies a lot differently because I am well aware that Hollywood is always trying to push a certain message. Thus, I was not surprised when I saw the same storyline that they have been repeating for years – elevating women over men (basically, the feminist agenda).
However, one scene, in particular, stuck in my mind long after the movie ended. The scene shows Eddie Murphy’s newly found son, speaking with his soon-to-be wife by betrothal.
Similar to one of the many memorable scenes in the first movie, Eddie Murphy’s son (Lavelle) asked the Princess (Bopoto), the type of things she was interested in, to which she responds “whatever you like”. He tries to get her to share with him, her interests or goals in life but her answer remains the same.
Then he says “I want to make a connection with the person I’m going to spend the rest of my life with.” To which she replies “but I am just a wife.” Wait, what?!
Is that to imply that being a wife means that you have no substance? No real purpose? Let’s see what the bible says.
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
House and wealth are the inherited from fathers: but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. Proverbs 31:10
You see in Genesis 2:18 it was God who determined that it was not good for the man to be alone, so he decided to make a helper for him, the woman. When God created the woman and brought her to the man he immediately recognized her as his wife (Genesis 2:21-24).
So we see that after God created the earth, he immediately established the family. God’s creation plan began with a man and a woman, a husband and a wife. The man was created first and then the woman but they were both given the charge to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth. They were equal in value, but they each had a different role, thus they both had a purpose.
Not only that the bible speaks of a great marriage between Christ (when he returns) for his bride (the church of born-again believers). Throughout scripture, the reference to preparation for being the bride of Christ is referenced. The joy of being a natural wife is a preview of what’s to come when Christ returns for his church.
So why is being a wife and a mother looked down upon by so many women in today’s generation? Well, the answer to that is also found in the book of Genesis.
Remember God had set everything in order between the man and woman. He had given them access to freely eat from every tree in the garden except for one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eating from this tree would result in death (Genesis 2:17).
The serpent (our adversary), was also in the Garden, and he planned to pervert the order of God, so he started by talking to the woman first instead of the man (Genesis 3:1-5).
The serpent’s subtle suggestion to the woman was that God was not trustworthy. And that what he assigned for her to do and what he had provided for her was not enough. If she ate from the tree she would be as a god herself, she wouldn’t have to be limited to God’s rules, she could decide for herself, and wouldn’t have to answer to her husband or God.
The result was, the woman eating from the tree and then giving the fruit to her husband to eat, thus reversing the order of the man and the woman (Genesis 3:6). And we are still seeing the fruit of this today.
Unfortunately, the feminist movement (under the disguise of equality) has promoted fighting for rights instead of relationships and pursuing career goals instead of a family.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with women having career goals or being ambitious, nor am I saying that it is wrong to want equality. However, it is impossible to serve two masters. You can’t fight against God’s plan and serve him at the same time (Matthew 6:24).
The goal of the enemy is to keep this order reversed because wherever there is God’s order, the image of God is reflected and thus God is glorified. Healthy marriages and families, children who are nurtured, protected, and loved, this is a reflection of God’s order on the earth.
So this is why I took great issue with the line in the movie “but I am just a wife.” It was like I could hear the serpent saying to Eve you’re just a wife? Is that all God made you for? You could be so much more….
The princess saying she was “Just a wife” was to imply that that being a wife isn’t enough. This point is reaffirmed by the Prince’s decision not to marry her, but the so-called more ambitious woman (his hairstylist).
Now you may be thinking, it’s not that deep, it’s just entertainment. But consider this, the word entertain by definition is: to hold the attention of; or divert, and to admit in the mind or cause to consider.
So whenever we are being entertained, our attention is being diverted while another message is being suggested for us to consider.
We have been inundated with the message of feminism through movies just like this one. The message downplays the role of being a wife and mother and instead glamorizes women who are career-driven, dominant, and over-sexualized. These messages are replayed over and over until we become desensitized.
The danger is, you can be swayed in your opinion of God and his purpose for your life based on the message that is fed to you while you were being entertained.
Women have suffered immensely under the lie of the feminist movement. We have exchanged the pleasure of wanting to be a wife, to instead want to compete with men in every area of life.
Fighting for rights to do everything a man can do – we no longer want to be the princess married to a prince we want to run the kingdom. And even if we attain this equality we so desperately believe we don’t have, we still will not be fulfilled, because fighting for our rights is not God’s plan for us.
Just like Eve, many women are finding out too late that they were deceived. They have the education, career, the house, the car, and the income, yet they are still empty inside.
When we choose to follow this world’s narrative regarding our role as women (i.e feminist movements, women’s rights, etc.) we will get the results of this world (divorce, unhealthy or no marriage, no children, millions of aborted babies). Our acceptance of the world’s narrative is our rejection of God’s plan.
Our obedience to God’s plan has the power to draw others to God, by demonstrating how following God’s order brings God’s blessing, which is why the enemy fights against it so much.
Of course, we can’t disconnect from the world, we live here (for now). However, we must always be aware that we have an enemy and he is deceitful. Nothing is off-limits to him, he will use music, TV, and even create a sequel to your favorite movie from back in the day to promote his lies.
A statement as simple as “but I’m just a wife” can arouse certain feelings of disdain, or plant seeds of doubt about God’s character. But look at it this way, if Satan can get you to dislike the role for which you were created, you will by default dislike the Creator of that role.
The bible warns us to guard our hearts, which means we must always be aware of what we are allowing into our hearts (Proverbs 4:23). What we see and hear is one of the main ways, we allow our heart to be penetrated. Remember the television is always telling you someone’s vision.
