get and get

Why is it that so many people are threatened by strong women? A strong man is an asset but a woman can be seen as overstepping herself if she steps up with the same characteristics of a strong man.


Let me set the record straight. In Nehemiah 8:10, God told all of Israel to enjoy themselves because the joy of the Lord was their strength. That includes women too.


So, take a trip with me. What does it mean to be strong? It is more than physical strength, I think everyone would agree. A kind of strength of character is needed. Integrity, as the saying goes, is what you do when no one is looking.





Character shapes how we will react in everyday situations and high pressure, difficult ones. A lot of our character is shaped when we are children. We watch our parents and elders and imitate what they do. They strive to teach us right from wrong but it is up to us to implement it. We don’t always succeed.


When God comes into our lives, He also does some “parenting.” There may be character traits that we picked up that are not illegal or necessarily wrong but they go against God’s idea of character. Maybe your sense of responsibility extends to just your family. That’s not wrong but God wants us to come in contact with other of His children and spread His world.


Doing the right thing when others are cutting corners, even if you are justified, is also a character trait that God values. Once, I worked for a company that withheld from us that they were closing. It hit us all like a ton of bricks. Worse than that, we worked for the last two months we were open, helping another office take over our work. It felt like a slap in the face.







Some refused and others half-heartedly worked. God instilled in me to continue to do my best each day. Yes, I would be out of a job in two months, but I trusted Him. After all, the other workers weren’t the enemy. God was calling me to a higher understanding and purpose. As a result, I was offered a new job with the other office. It was far away and my family wasn’t going to move, but that showed that someone was watching me and appreciated my character.


Girls, don’t hide your strength. If God is calling you to be: a leader in your family (single moms), a leader in your church (preacher), a leader on your job (the boss!), take it and embrace it. He will give you what you need to do the job with integrity, grace, humility and character. Others will scoff, call you names when you are being assertive, accuse you of unfairness among other things, but ask God to close your ears to it. There is nothing wrong with being strong.


Just look at other strong women in the Bible. How about Esther? She was a Jew who hid her ethnic background and found a place in the palace as the Queen. Haman was trying to exterminate her people and use the King to do it, so Esther has to stand up to him and approach the King even when not summoned.




Next we have Ruth. She took care of her mother-in-law after her husband died. That included going back to her land and learning to serve her God. She worked in the fields gathering grain that the workers had left behind to provide for them both. She didn’t consider it menial or shameful. That came from her character.


How about Deborah? She was the only female judge that the Israelites had. She served God with boldness and grace.


People always mention Mary, the mother of Jesus, but as a saint and not a young frightened girl who showed remarkable strength of character. She could have been shunned and put away for being pregnant without being married. The Holy Spirit had touched her womb but no one believed that. But, she persevered and showed strength throughout Jesus’ life and his death.


What about you? Are you chastised because you are a formidable woman who takes care of her family, herself, loves others and take no nonsense off of anyone? Good. That means you are making the devil angry. Use God’s word and His love as your shield and source of comfort.


Take a look at yourself. Hold you head up when you work two jobs to make ends meet for your family. If you use public assistance to buy groceries, hold your head up. When you ask others to help you, hold your head up then too.


Real strength comes in knowing who you are and whose you are. God will carry you every step of the way through life’s difficult situations just like He will carry you thought the triumphs. The joy you get from realizing that He is on your side creates strength that no one can withstand.