Women of God: Rise Up! (Be Who God Made You to Be)

The world is aching for truth.

This week, I came across a New York Times article that grabbed my attention. It had “Dangerous Fake Feminism” in the title. I felt compelled to read it, although I knew it probably wouldn’t be pretty.

This article criticized an influential woman for playing into “old sexist ideas about women as nurturers and helpers.” Her offense? She forewent business opportunities in order to better support her husband and children. She also affirmed that she was a wife and mother first and a businesswoman second. This was harmful to the cause of women, according to the article.

“The cause of women” was defined, as best I could tell, as the pursuit of societal roles for women that are indistinguishable from those of men.

The only problem is, men and women weren’t created to fulfill the same roles. Those “old sexist ideas” about women as nurturers and helpers? Those are rich, deep, truths about who God made us to be.

As I thought about it, I realized that, if you take God out of the equation, the thinking expressed in this article does make sense. Apart from Him, all that’s left is humanism. All that’s left is me and you and what we think best in light of our own perceived interests.

The absence of eternity dictates that women (and everyone) seek as much power and status and ease and service from others as we can hope to obtain. If this life is all we’ve got, we must look out for ourselves at all costs, regardless of who gets run over in the process (our husbands, our children, our unborn babies).

As women who follow Jesus, we know the truth.

And as women who follow Jesus, we have the opportunity to let the glory of this truth shine through our lives. Where reason fails us, we can exemplify God’s way with our living. The abundance, joy, fulfillment, eternal heritage and rich meaning in our lives will bear witness to God’s good plan.

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. Genesis 1:28

God created male and female. Though these were two distinct ways of being, both of them together exuded the likeness of His own image. By this act, He poured incomprehensible love and worth into both of us.

God, in His goodness and love, bestowed a glorious and honored mothering nature upon women.

Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. Genesis 3:20

When we embrace our innate womanhood, we will experience fulfillment. There is great depth, beauty and creative possibility within this design!

As Christ followers, we know that this life is not the end. In Christ, we have eternal life. We gladly lay down our rights in order to serve others because we know we will be rewarded. This is faith!

The message of Christ was counter-cultural 2000 years ago, and it is counter cultural today. He says,

The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12

May we trust God and put His promises to the test. May we be washers of feet, believing that there is an eternal reality, just as He has promised.

A call to women of God, in light of eternity–

Women of God: Rise up! Respect your husbands and submit to their authority. Christian men, love your wives in the same way Christ loved the Church. As you seek to love and submit to one another in humble service, you bear glorious witness to the gospel before a hurting world. (Ephesians 5:22-33)

Women of God: Rise up! Nurture and love your children with all you’ve got. Let Christ be your example. He says,

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:12-13

In this way you will experience to joy and blessing of doing what you were made to do and prove within yourselves the rightness and goodness of God’s plan.

Women of God: Rise up! Adorn yourselves with the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. This is of great worth in the eyes of your Heavenly Father! in this way the world will know that your hope is anchored in heaven.

Women of God: Rise up! Lay down your rights to lift others up, whether your husband, your children, your brothers and sisters in Christ, or those around you who are searching for God. In this way, you will follow in the footsteps of your Savior and learn what it means to truly love others.

This type of womanhood is quiet and humble, not loud and demanding. As we live out these truths, and as we disciple other young, Christ-following women to do likewise, we will reap the benefits of a godly heritage, both now and eternally.

The radiance and influence of a woman who fears the Lord is truly limitless.