Making the Cut
I've been doing some speaking over the last while, and as I've been prepping for this I've fallen into some interesting reading.
Women, who perhaps weren't thought of so fondly in their time, seem especially fascinating to me now.
I'm referring to historical figures, both biblical and ones in more current years.
Most people have heard about Joan of Arc and Rosa Parks (and many others). They did amazing things and have been taught about in our educational systems for decades.
But if you haven't read up on Sojourner Truth, let me give you a quick rundown. Imagine yourself a slave, beaten and mistreated, and forced to marry someone you don't love. You have children, but lose them to buyers of human flesh. You've lived through all of this, but you've come out swinging. You even have the guts to become the first woman ever to bring a slave owner to justice in a court of law. Seriously, this lady was amazing, and when I read her story I cried - both tears of rage, and of victory. Although an illiterate slave, she gave one of the most famous abolitionist and women's rights speeches that has ever been heard.
If you'd like to read more about her, and her speech, here are some websites:
Corrie ten Boom is another amazing individual whose family hid Jews inside their home, and helped them escape, during the Holocaust. She was also a member of the Dutch underground resistance. The Nazis arrested Corrie, her sister Betsie and their father when an informant told them about their escapades. Their father died ten days after their arrest, but the two sisters were sent to a concentration camp. Her sister died only twelve days before Corrie was released, due to a clerical error. Just one week later, all the women being held at that camp were sent to the gas chambers. She was the only one who lived to tell about that, but her love for God, the work she did for Him after and the praise she gave to Him was astounding. If you'd like to read more about her, click on this:
If Sojourner and Corrie had lived in Bible times, I think they'd have had a real shot at being written about in the book we all need a whole lot more of these days.
Speaking of the Bible:
I've been doing deeper studies on Esther, Abigail, and the unnamed woman who had such faith in Christ that merely touching the bottom of his tunic healed her from twelve years of bleeding. These, and many more, rightly deserved to have their names written in the Bible. Esther and Ruth have whole books dedicated to their stories. Others have chapters, and still others just a few verses about their role in history.
It was as I was happily reading one day, that I fell upon this intriguing tidbit and the smallest of mentions:
Nehemiah, in the book named after him, is sent to inspect Jerusalem's broken down walls. In chapter two it's recorded that the King gave his blessing that the wall should be rebuilt. Of course, like all great accounts, there were people who were dead set against this, so it did not make for an easy job. In fact, it is written in this very book, how they held a weapon at their side with one hand while doing the work with their other one.
But it's in Nehemiah chapter three where my eyes suddenly stopped on the page. Within a long list of father's and their sons, and numerous other male-named construction workers, is verse 12:
It reads: "Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters." (NIV)
And suddenly ... I wanted to know more about these women. Their mention is fleeting, but they made the cut!
As I've been studying more of the women in the Bible, and about their varied missions and accomplishments, I've had to ask myself if I'm living life in the way God really wants me to. You know - within His perfect plan.
Do I feel genuine love and empathy for people in our very fallen world?
Do I pray like Esther did? Would I be brave enough to stand for what I know is right, even though I might perish?
Do I listen quickly, and do the frightening job, like Abigail did?
If the Bible was being written today ... would I make the cut?
Do you ever think these sorts of things?
Food for thought, just after Canadian Thanksgiving!
Lets be encouraged by these women of God, and carry on with our own missions!
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13b-14 (NIV)
Be BLESSED and remember: God is good, all the time!
Pattie Janzen
Thank you to all who have been praying for me. Some things are much better than two weeks ago.
I continue to pray for you too.
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