Women can sometimes appear delicate, but in reality, be incredibly strong.
My mom recently texted me about how tired and overwhelmed she was feeling. I immediately texted back that she should channel her inner Janice and Aunt Mary. We all have those women in our lives who are pillars of strength. You know who I’m talking about. They never have to raise their voices, but the folks around them just listen, out of respect.
Southern women can often fool the casual observer. They often appear to be not much more than a pretty face wearing a skirt and lipstick. They don’t yell or get in your face, but there is a quiet strength which can be quite lethal to those who underestimate them. The term “steel magnolia,” is a perfect example of what I’m talking about.
My mother is one of those. She’s a little bitty thing that often keeps quiet, but she can be a force to be reckoned with. My family is dotted with these women. I’ll bet yours is too. They are a gift from God. They have the ability to get things done and the ability (and this is important), to do it quietly. They don’t seek a lot of attention.
The Bible is full of these women. Most of them don’t have entire books dedicated to them, but their stories are important in God’s Big Story, just the same.
Moses’ mother Jochebed, hid him for three months after his birth and then made a tiny basket that would float and placed him in the Nile River. The Nile was full of crocodiles among other things, but she trusted in God for her son’s safety. Then when Pharaoh’s daughter found him, she volunteered as a wet-nurse, totally giving up the right to be his mother, but guaranteeing his survival. He would grow up to lead an entire nation to freedom. She was a steel magnolia.
When Ruth’s husband died, she decided to leave her home and all of her family behind to follow her mother-in-law, Naomi, who she knew needed her. After trusting Naomi’s wisdom, she found another husband named Boaz. She became the great-grandmother of King David and therefore one of Jesus’ ancestors. She was a steel magnolia.
Mary is one of my favorite strong women. She was told as a teenager by an angel that she would give birth to the Son of God. She agreed. She raised him and stood by him the entire time he was dying on the cross. She was praying with the other disciples at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit blasted onto the scene. She was a steel magnolia.
All of their stories are so important and there are many more in the Bible. Christianity celebrates the role of women in God’s plan, no matter how small it may seem. So if you are a woman, whatever you are doing today to spread the love of Jesus from saying prayers with little ones, to visiting with a neighbor, to leading a Sunday School class, keep going. Even if you feel like your contribution doesn’t matter, keep giving.
God sees your service and I feel in my heart, that He is pleased. Isn’t delighting your Maker all that really matters anyway? You go girl!
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂