Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Strength Of A Woman

Treasure Box

It is Thursday and it is time to share something that is dear to me.  Today, I am sharing about the strength of a woman.

I have been learning about the strength of women since I was a child. My maternal Great Grandmother had seven children, five daughters and two sons.  The second oldest daughter died when she was only four of a disease that is easily treatable now.  My Great Grandmother held the family together during that tragedy and again later when they almost lost two more daughters, including my Grandmother.  This is something a strong woman just does...she holds it together, she serves those around her without asking for anything in return.  This was an important lesson I learned very early.

My maternal Grandmother lost four of her babies due to the RH Factor which is now easily treatable.  After losing her last baby and nearly overcome with grief and sorrow she had to face the most horrendous trial of her life.  My Grandmother was working as a nurse in a local clinic and had to help the doctor with a examination of a local business woman.  This woman found she was pregnant and was happy about aborting this baby because it was an "inconvenience."  Thankfully abortion was not yet legal in the United States and my Grandmother and the Doctor did not legally need to recommend a facility to help aid the death of her child (she flew out of country and had it done).  My Grandmother had to hold it together until she could leave work.  Tears streamed down her face and she had to pray for several years to find the strength to forgive that woman for gloating about killing her baby when my Grandmother had lost four babies that she desperately wanted, loved and cherished.  Through her pain she has since been able to help others in the same situation by the grace of the Lord.  She has a strength and appreciation for life that few women possess.

Reading and keeping up with what has been going on in Alabama after the tornado's, those women have strength, two in particular.  The mother of thirteen children who lost her husband...she has strength, she is keeping her family together despite everything.  The mother of the new baby with six other children who lost her home, she has strength, putting other people's needs above her own and being thankful for what she still has.  These women put their faith in God and had already been living a life of unselfishness.  Whether they realized it or not, these two women were prepared and ready for what they could not know was coming due to their worldview and how they allowed the Lord to be their daily strength.  If they cannot see this now, someday they will be able to look back and see what the Lord was able to do through them.

This makes me reflect on my daily walk with the Lord.  Sure, I have had my share of hardships, loss, and life has certainly not been perfect.  However, am I letting Yeshua Ha'Mashiach mold me into the kind of person that will lay down her life for her friends and family...and more importantly, my enemies, the way He did?  I would like to think that I am, but only times of testing prove what we really are.  Only the times of testing let us see if we have made the grade and can move onto the next level.

Watching and listening to my family and friends and others whom I look up to, I realize a few things about strength.  It takes far more strength to be submissive than to lead, and do it with a cheerful attitude.  It takes far more strength to put others needs above your own rather than looking out for number one.  It takes far more strength to speak kindly to and about someone whom with we do not agree than to back bite and slander them.  It takes far more strength to accept life beyond our control than to embrace bitterness for what we cannot control.  It takes far more strength to love than to hate, to laugh than to cry, and to smile than to frown.  It also takes far more strength to forgive than to hold onto bitterness.

Strong women help to build up others and edify them with love and encouragement.  Bullying is everywhere in the news right now and it targets mostly children and teenagers...but what about adults?  How many women have chosen to tear others down, bully and expose another persons weakness for the sake of self glorification?  This is not true strength, rather this is an outward show of an inward fear.  True strength loves her neighbor just as Yeshua later showed how...by putting Himself last so we could be first.

"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD."
Leviticus 19:17-18

Strength is like clothing for a woman.  What does your garment look like?  I know what mine looks like and I know what I want it to look like.  I don't want a cheap knock off of strength, I want the real thing.  I don't want to pretend to be strong while being fearful inside, I want to carry the strength of the Lord both inside and out, on good days and bad, through ups and through downs. 

What are your thoughts?  What have you been taught about the real strength of a woman?



"Strength and honor are her clothing;
      She shall rejoice in time to come.
       She opens her mouth with wisdom,
      And on her tongue is the law of kindness."
Proverbs 31:25-26



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent post! I am teaching my daughters to become strong women of G-d too! I am following you now and look forward to getting to know you!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for linking to my blog today! Thank you for sharing! Would you do me a favor? I messed up and had to fix the link...would you go back and repost your link? I'm sorry for the inconvenience!

Jennifer said...

Beautiful post! Like you, I want my strength to be TRUE strength that comes straight from Him and permeates me from the inside out. Thank you for reminding me to focus my "clothing" thoughts on the kind that will last for eternity.

~Jennifer