I generally shy away from writing anything remotely political in this blog, since the purpose of it is more musings and the fancy-free. However, since this particular "musing" seems to transcend the political--it is emotional, physical, political, even spiritual--I'm giving myself permission. I hope to share my heart, not start arguments, so this is not intended as "fuel for the fire" should you happen to disagree. I do hope, disagree or not, that you'll read to the end and give this a fair hearing. This is about who I am as a woman. I hope it resonates with your woman heart as well (or at least enlightens you if you happen to be a rare male reader). :)
I've just finished Lisa Bevere's "Lioness Arising: Wake Up and Change Your World". In it are quotes like this:
"If there ever comes a time when the women of the world come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will be a force such as the world has never known." (Matthew Arnold, 19th century British poet and philosopher)
"Are we ready to be used for more than decoration? Are we ready to hold up the roof of God's house?" (Lisa Bevere, referencing Psalm 144:12 ("That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth, that our daughters may be as pillars, sculpted in the palace style" (NKJV).
Add to this (and here comes the political) the whole "women's health" debacle and the increased involvement of the government in healthcare and life in general and the thought came to me that I FEEL MORE RESTRICTED AS A WOMAN BY POLITICAL GROUPS THAN IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY. Most of you may say "Well, sure"-- but who does pop culture accuse of "restricting" and "silencing" women? The Church. Hence my point and why I'm writing this.
Let me explain. In Christ, and in my church family, I am free to decide what I want to do and who I want to be, so long as my choices line up with the Word. I can be a housewife. I can have a career. I can have both or neither. I can be happily married. I can have children. I gave up the ability to do neither, but other single women still have those options. My husband and I can make decisions for our family, and I provide input and support for him while he provides support and spiritual covering for me. I can figure out the necessary balance of all of the above, and live a well-ordered, productive, and satisfying life.
According to a majority of women's groups, all of which simply can't help being political in some way or another, I am a "woman" if:
--I am pro-choice
--I am a career woman
--I am equal to my husband in all things, or blissfully single
--I support moderates & liberals for political office because they are the only ones who care about "women's health issues"
--The issue of "women's health" (aka who pays for contraception and abortion) trumps concerns for the economy in presidential primaries (this was in the news just this morning!)
If I do not agree with those things, I am a "disappointment". And I'm not the least bit sorry to disappoint. They may want to appear strong in their fight to be independent and self-reliant, but that's not the kind of strength I want to have. In Romans 15, verse 2, Paul says "Strength is for SERVICE, not STATUS. Each of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, 'How can I help?'"
"Women's health" is indeed a very important topic, but not in the areas that these women's groups are focused. Why not the health of mothers overseas who still DIE in childbirth? Or the countless women fighting against cancer, heart disease, and other silent killers? What about the young women being sold into prostitution? Aren't those issues much more about women's health than who pays for your pills and assists financially in killing your unwanted children?
Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible speaks highly of women, their influence, and abilities. Eve, Sarah, Tamar, Abigail, Rahab, Hannah, Ruth, Esther, pretty much any woman named Mary, Jael of the Tent Peg, Deborah, Elizabeth, the woman with the alabaster box of perfume. All women with considerable influence and strength, but none of them used it for their own gain. Yet they all were rewarded, one way or another. Paul, who often gets a bad rap for being "anti woman" often references specific women and their influence on the church, as well as speaking to men and women TOGETHER, not excluding women from positions of leadership and authority as some think (I Timothy 3:1-13).
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes:
"If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if His love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care, then do me a favor: AGREE with each other, LOVE each other, be DEEP SPIRITED FRIENDS. Don't( push your way to the front, don't sweet-talk your way to the top, but put yourself aside and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage, Forget yourself long enough to lend a helping hand." (2:1-4)
Women right now are screaming out of their pain. But screaming in pain is not an answer, it's a reaction. As women, we need to bring LIFE from and through the pain, bringing answers and solutions to the problems. When we lift our voices, we should take our cue from the lioness. When a lioness roars she does it for specific reasons, and she never roars alone, she roars with her sisters. She roars to protect the young--Not just her own, but ALL the young in her pride. She roars to validate relationships within the pride (with her sisters and in response to the male lion--declaring allegiances). And she roars to call in the lost and wandering cubs. She will roar occasionally to intimidate her prey, but only after the ambush is in place.
So looking back to the quote I started with, when will we as women rise up for the good of MANKIND and not just ourselves? When will be look to the needs of others, especially those with no voice of their own? When will be put the life and needs of others ahead of our own? Imagine what this world--this country--would be like if women stood up united against human trafficking, abortion, child abandonment and abuse, hunger, poverty, homelessness, and more. Government subsidies, departments, and agencies don't solve these problems, but people can.
So for me, I refuse to let my identity as a woman be dictated to me by the media, a political group or party, or any type of "women's" organization. Their definitions only bring more oppression. I'm choosing to stand in my identity as a woman, defined by God as being "fearfully and wonderfully made", educated and able to think for myself and make knowledgeable decisions, and content in the knowledge that I can be a homemaker, a stay-at-home-mom, and a career woman without finding my honor or identity in any of them. I am not wasting my talents by being home with my children. I am not a doormat because I respect my husband and he has the final say. I am not a disappointment to all women-kind because I am pro-life, Republican, and am firmly against the government mandating someone else pay for the birth control I may or may not choose to take. I am a woman, and you may hear me roar, but it is not a roar of conceit and selfish disdain for the feelings of others...It is a roar that I hope will soon be echoed by my sisters as we declare our allegiance to God, our determination to protect ALL young from death and destruction, and to rescue the young and wandering from harm.
Ezekiel 19:2.
I will raise up the sons to be strong and mighty. I will be an ASSET to my husband and son, to my fathers and brothers. I will position the daughters well, with honour and grace. I will lift all who are fearful, weak, or struggling. I will bring the goodness and hold up the roof of God's house as pillar of strength, worth, dignity, and beauty.
Because I am a woman. I am a bringer of LIFE.
