We have begun a journey into what is traditionally known as Women’s History Month.
However, I would like to offer another way to name this month. Instead of only being Women’s History Month, what if we considered it Women’s Empowerment Month because of the strides, breakthroughs and trails blazed by women of our history that empower us toward our future while acknowledging the purpose and promise of our present?
There are many women in the Bible who we know to be women of greatness. How about the women whose greatness was magnified on a personal level, like Abigail, who saved her husband Nabal’s life by speaking to King David on his behalf? Or what about the women whose greatness was magnified on a ministry level, like Miriam, who was a worship leader for the children of Israel? We also have the mothers who stood up for their children no matter what, like Rizpah, who stood watch for months for the justice and proper burial of her son, and the Syrophoenician woman whose faith stood up to cultural norms for her daughter’s healing.
As we consider this month of spotlighting the empowerment of women, what biblical heroine stands out most to you? Is it the strategy of Rahab and Jael or the wisdom of Deborah? The audacity of Queen Vashti or the endurance of Hannah? As we consider who we are as women, the hope is that we allow our faith to fuel us and our dreams to push us further forward.
We don’t have to be like Peninnah and ridicule or taunt because of crisis. We don’t have to wreak havoc or be the conduit of chaos like Jezebel. But we can stand with one another and be the sisters to each other that we were called and created to be. The sincere sisterhood of all women, but especially Black women, is undeniable. It should also be an irreplaceable community and an impenetrable bond. As women, we have to be willing to be our sister’s keeper and keep the small foxes from spoiling the vine of our sisterhood.
When you call to mind your biblical heroine, consider how you want your name and story to be remembered. What will they remember about you, about your faith, about your victories, about the way you proudly and positively mentioned your sister’s names in rooms they were not in? How will you be remembered? What will they say about you? What will be the testimony of your life? My hope and prayer is that it will be of great value, a great promise, and great empowerment.
