Following a few rant-like conversations on Twitter I was asked to write a guest post on 'Strong Women'. The original post can be found over at James Prescott's blog here. Why don't you pop on over and read some of his posts and say hi? You can also hear an audio version of the post on Partakers (March 10th 2012)
Strong Women
‘She’s a very strong woman!’
Last week, this
statement cropped up in three separate conversations regarding different
women. Strong women. And each time - I cringed.
I used to be a ‘strong’ woman.
I lifted
weights at the gym regularly, practiced Judo weekly, and had a pretty good
success rate with arm wrestling.
There's nothing
wrong with being a strong woman.
But, this wasn’t what they meant, was it?
No, the focus
of their strength had nothing to do with their muscles, but their
character.
What is a strong character?
Character can
be defined as 'the stable and distinctive qualities built into an
individual's life which determine his or her response regardless of
circumstances.'
Therefore, a
strong character can simply be defined as someone with the ability to respond
with strength in all circumstances. To remain constant and strong in a
world crazed with uncertainty, inconsistency, and irrationality. A strong
character is needed if we are to effectively navigate life's experiences.
If this is the
understanding of a strong character, then why does the phrase so often get spat
out with disdain and caution when specifically referring to women?
A strong woman?
The term
'strong' when referring to the character of a woman, often carries quite a distinct
interpretation.
Bossy
Opinionated
Outspoken
Stubborn
But only of a
woman.
Very rarely
does the phrase get used when describing a man. And if it does, then it
is usually referred to as a positive character trait.
Is strength in
a man a virtue, but strength in a woman a vice?
Is it good that
a man displays strength, but a woman conceals it?
Is this what
God ordained? Did he create men to have strong character and women to be
weak? Can we read only of strong male characters in the Bible?
What of
Ruth? A woman of 'chayil' -
(power, strength, resources, army, effective)
What of
Deborah? The prophetess and judge who had to know her own (or God's) mind
and speak it.
What of
Mary? Who chose to go against the cultural norms of the day, and engage
in something she (rightly) saw as more important.
And what of
Jael? Who took matters into her own hands, confidently driving a tent peg
through the head of an enemy.
And Biblical women weren't strong?
Shouldn't all Christians, whether male or female,
aspire to have a strong character? A character that allows them to follow
the will of God, speak on his behalf, and love and forgive in a culture that
exemplifies the opposite?
Shouldn’t all Christians, whether male or female,
demonstrate a strength of character that comes from knowing who we were created
to be?
Shouldn't all Christians, whether male or female, be
encouraged to speak up, and not shut up?
Shouldn't all Christians, whether male or female, be
encouraged to stand up for what is right?
Shouldn’t a
strong character in all Christians be
celebrated and not shunned or frowned upon – regardless of gender?
Yes, even a
strong woman.
And if the idea
of this makes you feel uncomfortable, perhaps you ought to ask yourself why.
