National Women's Month

March is Women's History Month and since I know a whole lot of wonderful women, I figure before the whole month gets by me, I’d better write something.

In Biblical times, women were considered property.  They were "chattel", merely "things" to remain in the background, and whose purpose was only to procreate and serve man.

But that wasn't the way God intended it.

From the very moment God created Adam and Eve He gave them equal but distinct roles.  They were to be "partners", BOTH created in the imagine of God,  Made to be helpmates to one another women were to men a sort of yin and yang of complimentary skills, talents and abilities.

And I do not believe that it is coincidental that God, whose words and character are shown through the Bible, includes stories that focus on women.

Take for instance the book of Esther - a lowly Jewish girl who is elevated to Queen so that she may save the entire Jewish nation from slaughter.

Or Abigail - a humble woman, married to the wealthy land-owner, Nabal; who, when asked for food by David - refused.  Then, as David and four-hundred men prepared themselves for battle, Abigail went out and pleaded for mercy, thereby saving her husband and his entire household.

Or how about the woman at the well in Samaria, who is CHOSEN by God so that, for the first time outside his little group of disciples, Jesus may reveal himself AS God.

Then consider the woman who anointed Jesus' feet with oil from an alabaster jar.  When she was rebuked by some of His disciples for "wasting" something so expensive, Jesus said - "Why do you trouble the woman?  For she has done a beautiful thing to me...Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her." - Matthew 26:10,13

And finally, I do not believe it was at all coincidental that WOMEN were the ones who discovered the empty tomb.  

I am convinced that in these stories we are being shown that women are valuable to God's kingdom and have a role and a part to play.  One that is different than our male counterparts, but one that is equally important, cherished and beloved.

Proverbs 31:26-31: “She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things,but you surpass them all.’ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”