A Woman's Voice

Women have a voice. Women have a soul and spirit. Women have intellect. Women have gifts.

Women are NOT just physical bodies.

It has been the sad reality throughout history, that both the outside world and some in the church have viewed women's worth solely for their bodies. In the world, a woman is told that her value lay in her sexuality. Her body is used as an object for pleasure and is then discarded. In the church, a woman is often told that her value lay in her purity or in her pregnancy. Her body is used as an object for bearing children and that is all she is really good for. Or for younger women, purity and abstinence are the only things that are ever taught...as if those things alone suddenly make you a godly woman. There is no talk of a woman's intellect, of her soul, of her relationship and knowledge of her Creator as the things which define whether or not she is godly.

Both tendencies have an obsession with the exterior. Both extremes have little to do with what a woman's internal capabilities are. Both views belittle women down to their physical casing alone, and strip them of their dignity. May I be so bold as to state here, that these views have nothing to do with what being a woman is really about?

Women were not created to be bodies alone, but instead to be active souls and minds doing powerful work for God.

It is time that young girls are taught that first and foremost they are a follower of Christ. They need to know theology, to know God's word deeply, and to hold fast to His love for them. Knowing this, they will not seek that redemption in a man and will not go around being used as a sexual pawn. It is time that young women are taught that they were created for something even greater than motherhood and marriage. Yes, God is going to use those things to shape many women and to be their ministry. Marriage is, after all, a picture of the gospel. But it is not their sole purpose in life. Their purpose is to serve the King of Kings. Their purpose is to preach and prophesy and declare His name (Acts 2, people). Young motherhood is SUCH a short time in the grand scheme of things in a woman's life. It is time that older women are encouraged to be leaders and to use their voice. They should be encouraged to display what it means to have a spirit that is calm and resting in God rather than being frantic and fearful. Older women exhibit how gossip and a loose tongue are childish--rather than being the chatty gossips themselves. God has filled them with wisdom and understanding, and it is simply not Biblical to keep them silent.

The kingdom of God is topsy-turvy. The people which the world most degrades, puts down, belittles, and strips of dignity are the people which God often selects to do mighty works in His name. Paul explains to us in Corinthians that the weaker and more trampled upon parts of the body of Christ are the parts who need to be uplifted and honored by the other parts of the body. Now is the time for both men and women to take a stand by affirming women's gifts and voices. By letting God speak and work through ALL members of the church that are equally deposited with the power of the Holy Spirit. By encouraging all men and women's souls and minds and spirits to be boldly pointing towards Jesus.

Now is the time to let no woman's worth be defined by her body--both inside and outside the church. Will you take that stand?

Strong yet feminine outfit for this post? A blazer and lipstick :)