A CHRISTIAN WOMAN’S THOUGHTS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

(Post by: Lilly Hobbs)

On Tuesday of this week (March 8^th), the world celebrated and recognized International Women’s Day. I must admit, as a young Christian woman myself, I am skeptical of International Women’s Day. Now, that sounds a bit odd, doesn’t it?

Allow me to explain the reasons for why I am skeptical… What most women celebrate about themselves on this day is precisely the kind of womanhood God has called Christian women to stay away from and not participate in.

Women who are living according to the world think it’s “hot” to be immodest, and on days like International Women’s Day, the world celebrates it. They think it’s fun to be “in charge” of their boyfriends and husbands, and that bashing them when they spend time with their friends is just a mental health trend called “venting” helping them feel their feelings. They are constantly chasing after the “boss babe” title.

1 Timothy 2:9-11 says, “Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.”

In case you’re wondering what the world celebrated about women on Tuesday, this is a quote from an article Fox wrote that reads… “March 8 marks International Women’s Day, a global celebration of women’s achievements, and a continued call to action for equality. This year’s theme, #breakthebias, seeks to call out the biases that make it difficult for women to succeed. “Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field,” the International Women’s Day website reads. “Are you in? Will you actively call out gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping each time you see it?”

The world is NOT celebrating Biblical womanhood. It’s celebrating a sinful, sexualized, and perverted version of womanhood that it believes will truly satisfy us and make us better individuals. But it’s not what God intended for women, and we will never be truly satisfied until we are surrendered to His design.

While we most definitely should celebrate the women who have made a difference and been effective for eternity, we must realize that the world seeks to diminish these women and the good and beautiful roles that women have. Roles such as helping other young ladies to know and understand truth, care for children, love and support their husbands, pursue what is pure and lovely, etc.

As Christian women, we must be confident in who God has made us to be and fight against these lies that we are so misunderstood and discriminated against. We are not victims just because we are women.

I love this quote by Elisabeth Elliot who once said, “To me, a lady is not frilly, flouncy, flippant, frivolous and fluff-brained, but she is gentle, she is gracious, she is godly, and she is giving. You and I have the gift of femininity… the more womanly we are, the more manly men will be and the more God is glorified. Be women, be only women, be real women in obedience to God.”

Biblical womanhood is beautiful, and I choose to celebrate that today instead! I pray that we choose to be gentle, gracious, godly, and giving women who love Jesus with all that we are.

SO WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

= Do you believe that God is glorified when men and women each understand their God-given roles?

= Do you view yourself as a victim or a victor?

= What are you going to do differently?