Unfortunately, women are not equally represented in leadership and managerial roles in organizations around the world, especially in churches and other companies that depend so much on their financial, spiritual and physical contributions. To many organizations still fail to recognize, acknowledge or harness the energy and talents of women. Some still actively discourage and actually forbid women from taking leadership roles.

Jesus apparently felt differently. His first appearance after his death was to a woman, whose mission it was to go and convince the more doubtful males. One man was so skeptical he had to plunge his fingers in Jesus' wound before he would believe. God spoke first to a young Mary about a magnificent plan, which she was able to keep secret until the appropriate time. So, in the beginning and at the end of the gospel, God gave primary leadership roles to women. Mary literally conceived and helped deliver the message; wealthy women economically supported Jesus and his staff while they were on their mission; and Mary Magdalene and Martha were the first to recognize the miracle of the resurrection when it happened. Although Jesus spent hours walking on the road to Emmaus with his male disciples after his resurrection, they did not recognize him. Mary, however, recognized him almost instantly.

Several men have commented to me that they would promote more women if more women would come forward. We, we are. Women currently own or operate 55 percent of the new businesses starting up. We ultimately control men's wealth because we outlive them. Women's ideas and methods are causing revolutions in countries, in churches, in companies, and in the professions we served and are starting to lead.

Consider health care, for instance. Women are swelling the ranks of physicians. Currently, nearly 40 percent of all students in medical schools are female. In a recent survey the number one most requested attribute of a general physician was that she be a female. One local health care authority stated that most female physicians in San Diego have waiting lists.

Men who fail to acknowledge and enlist feminine energy often suffer for their arrogance. Pontius Pilate's wife, for example, tried to warn him not to be involved in the trial of Jesus. "I had a dream about him," she said. Pilate ignored her and signed Jesus' death warrant, and his own unenviable place in history.

Senator Paul Danforth's wife tried to warn him about the seriousness of Professor Anita Hill's allegations about Clarence Tomas. Senator Danforth, like the other males, tried to sweep the woman's complaint aside as being insignificant. The fiasco that ensued was caused primarily by men not taking women's concerns seriously.

One comedienne theorized that perhaps the reason the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years was because Moses wouldn't give Miriam the map.

Jesus said to both women and men, "The kingdom is within you." He delegated equal power and authority to anyone who asked. He said in heaven there is neither male nor female, and he came to see that things were done "on earth, as it is in heaven." On the television show Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Picard never went into new territory without the intuitive female counselor, Troi, at his side. Often she was sent in ahead of everybody else to assess the situation.

So, men, make way for the women. Recruit them, and you will be the wiser. Women, we must claim and own our power. After all, how far can men really go without us? Only one generation.

"In every man's success, there's always a woman behind him"

Jesus empowered women.