This day has been set aside to celebrate women. What have we women done to deserve such an honor? Many have done much and deserve to be recognized, but what has the average American woman done to raise the bar of excellence…to be worthy of praise for simply being a woman? Can we look at ourselves and how we’ve conducted ourselves thus far and feel we are worthy of recognition?
Through the years many women have been chosen as leaders or advocates for one cause or another. Many historical names are easily recognized: Betsy Ross, Eleanor Roosevelt, Joan of Ark, Rosa Parks…just to name a few. There are women who have risen to the top in business, power, and financially. But what about the average woman who will probably never do anything to get her name in the news? This day should honor her too.
The wife who gets up early, gets everyone off to work and off to school, cooks, cleans, shops and holds a job of her own. She counts pennies, clips coupons, scrapes and saves so her family never goes without. She’s the last one to sleep, sits up with a sick child when needed, makes sure the bills are paid on time and meals are on the table. She’s always busy but never too busy for hugs, words of encouragement, help with homework, schools plays, mending a favorite toy…the list goes on and on.
Then there are the single moms who do all of the above with no help. We need to recognize them too. Give them flowers, pat them on the back…or give them a break by offering to babysit.
Many women today feel the life of an ordinary woman is not for them. They don’t want to be housewives, cook three meals a day and care for a husband and children. They want to excel at their job, and compete with men on every level. Many run for government offices, become judges, lawyers, doctors, firefighters and join the military or enter show business There’s basically nothing a woman today can’t do if she sets her mind to it.
Since the famous quote by Helen Ready: ” I am woman, hear me roar,” women have sought to do just that, to roar above the crowd of men and make their voices heard. It has gotten to the point that their desire now seems to be to drown out the voices of men altogether and become the only ones being heard. We’ve seen women go from fighting for the right to vote to marching in the streets dressed in obscene costumes, roaring for recognition.
Is this how we want our girls to grow up? In a society where men are silenced and women are in charge? To some that might sound ideal, but I assure you, it isn’t. If we want to be recognized as women, we need to set some high standards and stick to them. The standards we should try to meet as women are found in the pages of God’s Word.
Proverbs 9: 13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
Proverbs 12: 4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.
Proverbs 31: 10 Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.
31:25 Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
31:30 Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
May we strive to raise up the women of tomorrow to be virtuous and God fearing. Maybe their motto could be, “I am woman, see me soar.”
