Hello and welcome back to the Sunday Series!
Today I wanted to focus on a heart-related topic that ALSO brought in some Scripture-related content. As you all know, I am a Christian and my faith is an enormous part of my life. Since I began my YouTube channel, many people have asked what books or creators have inspired my commentary on femininity, traditional living, and character growth. Truthfully, my greatest and only inspiration has been Scripture, and the remarkable stories of women throughout those Biblical stories.
It is through the women of the Bible that I have found my deepest inspiration for my own life, and the work on my blog and channel. The women of the Bible are no set of quiet and demure women, but they certainly display an admirable and inspiring level of character, strength, and femininity. I believe that all women, Christian or otherwise, can learn and be inspired by the incredible women in Scripture and their lasting legacies.
So today, I wanted to briefly go through some of the character traits and legacies we can find from the women in the Bible, and point those characteristics to our own lives and growth.
The women in Scripture were famous for leading armies, making music, creating fabric, birthing children, and following Jesus. They judged nations, became queens, and started churches. The women in Scripture were in the background, the foreground, and everywhere in-between.
What I love most about the women in Scripture is that they do not model one specific way to live out mature femininity. Instead, through their individual circumstances, personalities, and passions, God used each of these women according to his plan. Yes, we still have an overarching theme in many of the women's lives that they were mothers, wives, and sisters, but outside of those roles we can also see individual talents, passions, and callings on their lives. God uses the character and personality of each woman to shine in whatever way he needed.
When we look to the mother of Jesus, our shy, gentle, and demure Mary, we can see a beautiful example of gentle and nurturing femininity. Mary was chosen by God for her obedience, humility, and nurturing spirit that would be an incredible mother to the Savior of the world. Mary's legacy is one of motherhood, gentleness, and passion. Throughout her life, Mary allowed her son to grow into the man he was, but also enjoyed motherhood and stored up the memories in her heart.
Moving to a few extremely different examples of womanhood in the Bible, we can see Miriam, the sister of Moses, and Deborah, a judge of Israel. Both of these women were in leadership roles within the people of Israel, and God used them accordingly. It was the brave Deborah and Miriam who assisted in the saving of God's people, AND the leadership of those people. We also have the courageous Jael who bravely assisted in battle, and the prostitute Rahab who helped the Israeli spies escape death.
But the great deeds of women in the Bible are not exclusive to war and espionage, for we also see the role of mother, wife, and matriarch referenced frequently with awe and respect. From Hannah, the mother of Samuel, to Sarah, Abraham's wife, we have women renowned for their relational roles, as much as their accomplishments. These women birthed and nurtured key players in the lineage of Jesus, and had great faith and courage in the face of difficult times.
Moving towards the glamorous women of the Bible, we also have Queen Esther, who's beauty and gentleness earned her the title of Queen and wife to King Xerxes. There was also the beautiful Bathsheba who married King David after an affair, and the beautiful daughters of Job who were renowned for their beauty.
Scripture frequently outlines the captivating physical beauty of women, as well as their charm, strength, and fortitude. The beauty of women is celebrated within Song of Songs, as two lovers outline the seductive and stunning qualities of each other. The woman's hair is described as a "flock of goats," and her neck is renowned as the "tower of David," which was high praise back in the day LOL!
Moving forward into the New Testament, we see women taking up the role of student, friend, teacher, and sister. Aquilla and Anna both assisted in the spreading of the gospel. And the merchant and matriarchal women like Lydia and Chloe were also part of the evangelism within their communities and family. Finally, we have the poor women of the Bible who through faith, became restored in body and soul through Jesus' healing power.
But the Bible does not gloss over the sins of women as well. We of course have Eve's temptation and sin, as well as the tyrant Queen Jezebel, and the wayward prostitutes and pagan wives of Solomon. There was the evil Queen Herodias who convinced her daughter Salome to request John the Baptist's head on a platter, and many stories of female rivalry between sister wives Leah and Rebecca, and Hannah and Penninah.
Our modern world is quick to dismiss examples of tyrannical women in the favor of the narrative that women are somehow morally superior beings. I appreciate that the Bible treats women equally to men, and simply shares the actions of women, good or bad, just as it does for men.
Scripture shows us the shortcomings and the triumphs, and really, the fact that women are equal to men in every way: in sin, in strength, in importance, and in history.
Most of all, Scripture shows us that we cannot box women into a certain set of behaviors: all we can do is encourage one another to thrive how we are planted, and to grow where the Lord leads us.
You are outfitted with each element you will need to accomplish what the Lord has in store. Do not force yourself to be a nurturing gentle homemaker if you know God is calling you to serve in some other way. But do not feel small if God has called you to the role of "mother" for it is one of the most honorable roles we have in this world.
While I disagree with the intense vehemence at which modern society pushes women to be masculine and ambitious, I cannot deny that the Lord does sometimes call women to be ambitious and lead, as we saw with Deborah, Miriam, and Aquilla. Scripture is quite clear that women and men are both effective and equally valuable in whatever position the Lord calls.
I wonder what woman in the Bible you resonate with my friend? Perhaps you are a courageous queen like Esther, or a hardworking bee like Martha. Maybe you're gentle and disciplined like Ruth, or find yourself social and boisterous like Lydia. Perhaps a baby in your belly and one on your hip like Hannah or Leah is all you desire, but whatever God has in store for you, know and have peace in the reality that we do not need to pressure ourselves to be the ideal version of a Christlike woman.
Rather, we can go to the Lord and allow him to use our femininity and individuality to further his Kingdom and spread the love of Christ.
I hope you have a blessed Sunday my loves, and if you want a full list of all the women mentioned in the Bible, I have listed one right HERE.
xoxo,
Cait