How often do you hear things like “You throw like a girl?” Or “Quit being such a girl?” Or “Girls can’t do that. They’re too weak/small/fragile”?
I know that most of the time, these are just jokes, but it still happens. You know what I mean, and it’s not just with athletes or in the workplace. Traditional views of gender roles are still being valued, including in places like Nicaragua.
Today we went to a nearby village called Candelaria to do a Bible study with some women there. One of my teammates, Kate, was asked to lead it, and she talked about Proverbs 31. This chapter is about this amazing woman, who when you read about her she seems kind of on this unreachable standard like Super Woman. She is a trader, a homemaker, a farmer of sorts, takes care of the poor, and is also very human. Above all, she loves the LORD. The last verse is very famous, and it reads:
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
No matter where you are in the world, women are under pressure to hold up to that culture’s standard of beauty, and most of the time it’s impossible. So many of us feel like we have to put on makeup or do our hair all nice or have cute clothes in order to be beautiful. Like we have to be perfect. Like that’s where our worth lies, like that is what we have to do to be considered a woman.
That couldn’t be more false. We are beautiful without even trying, because we are “fearfully and wonderfully” made by God! To Him, we are more precious than rubies! God did not create women to hide behind makeup or to feel weak in comparison to our male counterparts. He has created us to be strong, to love tenderly and fiercely, to speak wisdom, to laugh and encourage, to help and care for people, to accomplish tough tasks, and most of all, to love the LORD who made us and show His love to others.
He has created men and women so differently to complement each other. It is so beautiful. We as women should never feel like we have to look pretty on the outside to be good enough or that we are too small or weak to do anything. We can’t listen to these lies! I wish I could express how truly beautiful all these women I know really are. And God is our REFUGE and STRENGTH! He will help us whenever we need Him!
Anyway, it was so good to hear that message, and we so blessed to have Kaitlyn, who translated it for the Nicaraguan women. The language barrier doesn’t matter; God made us all the same way beautifully, and despite age and culture gaps, we all understood. As she translated, the women responded with nods and “amen”‘s. After the study, we hugged, talked and laughed together. Love has no language barrier.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that don’t ever feel like you aren’t good enough, or pretty enough, or liked enough. God created you and He delights in His creation. He adores you, and He shows it with His little and big gifts He gives. Look for those today 🙂
