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As I look at my small world, I know I want to leave something fundamentally good behind, when I leave this world. I want to make a difference. I’m by no means, the only female who has felt this way.
Our rich history tells us Anne Frank, Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, Amelia Earhart, Margaret Thatcher, and Diana, Princess of Wales also wanted to make a difference, and lived their lives so the entire world would remember them, even if that hadn’t been their plan!
In today’s world, women like Arianna Huffington and Taylor Swift find themselves, according to Forbes Magazine, in the top one hundred most influential women. Most women in the list, I didn’t know, which may make me uniformed, and there were a few on the list I hated to agree with!1
Another area where we can find women who made a difference is in God’s word. Hannah, in 1 Samuel, desperately wanted a child. In her cry to the Lord she promised that should He honor her request, she would return the child to him to be raised in the Temple. God honored her plea and gave her a child. Hannah honored her promise and took her young son to Eli the priest to be raised in the Temple. This special boy was Samuel who grew up to be one of the leading, godly men in the Bible.
Abigail is yet another Biblical woman who showed unique strength. Married to Nabal, a wicked and self-centered man, Abigail made a decision that took great courage. She chose to provide a feast for David and his men after Nabal had rebuffed David’s request for food. David was ready to fight, but Abigail’s kindness spared her family of certain retaliation and likely destruction. After Nabal’s death, David took Abigail for his wife because of her virtues.
Esther is still another woman the Bible tells us uses uncommon strength and courage after she, the Queen, learned Haman, King Xerxes’ top man, was going to annihilatethe Jewish people. Queen Esther, a Jew, put her life on the line by talking with King Xerxes’ for her people.
Being a “strong woman” (or man) for God can be intimidating and costly (through loss of friends or family relationships or possibly your life, like Esther encountered), but when we give ourselves to God, He is with us every step of the way.
So I challenge you to reflect on your life. Are you “strong for the Lord?” Are you willing to make a difference?
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