Janice Shaw Crouse has written a book review called “Another Layer of Guilt for Women” posted at www.Townhall.com. It is a review of “The Feminine Mistake: Are We Giving Up Too Much?" by Leslie Bennetts. You will recognize that the book’s title is a take off on the famous book, "Feminine Mystique", by Betty Friedan.

Crouse writes that the premise of the book is that “women need to be selfish by avoiding economic dependency and self-centered in recognizing that their worth is largely dependent upon their workforce identity”. To back this up, Bennetts cites many stories about men abandoning women and causing them financial hardship. I don’t want to rehash the book review, as it is a good review of the book and you can read it here.

Also, I don’t disagree with Crouse’s complaint that the book slights women who want to be mothers and wives at home.

I do want to say that Bennetts has a point in the allegation that many men have abandoned women and caused financial hardship. As the father of daughters, this potential is a real fear. I don’t want my daughters left without support. I don’t like it when women I know are plunged into greatly reduced circumstances by divorce or abandonment. Even at church, there have been cases of men leaving leaving their wives poor or struggling. This is not right and it not a manly thing, or Christian thing, to do.

In contrast, I’ve been studying the book of Ruth. Ruth is the widowed daughter-in-law of Naomi, also a widow. They have a kinsman named Boaz. In chapter 3, Ruth makes an appeal to Boaz for redemption. She lays at his feet and asks him to throw his cloak over her. She is saying, as my kinsman redeemer, will you marry me, support me and protect me? Boaz does. They marry and have a son, and their line soon produces King David.

Boaz is called a man of standing. He was moral, Godly and faithful. A Godly man is faithful. He is faithful to his God, his wife and his family. He loves them, supports them and protects them.