For who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. (Proverbs 31:10)
I was talking to my sister in Christ about marital abuse. It was such a deep conversation due to us either being or having someone we know that have been abused by their husbands. It took me back to my abusive marriage that almost destroyed me. We were speaking about one of our sisters’ daughter who is in her twenties, with everything going for her, but married a controlling and to our suspicion, an abusive man. He will not allow her to even go to a women’s conference to Long Island with the Co-Pastor and the rest of her sisters. I became so upset when hearing it and all I could think of, “Lord, if it was my daughter…”
Both of us started thinking about what we would do if our daughters were in the same situation. What would we say? How would we react and would it be as far as inflicting bodily harm? We didn’t know, but I knew that deep down, I would probably end up hurting him, physically, due to my own experiences with marital abuse.
I can remember, after our nights of partying, my husband, at the time, would find some reason to hurt me physically, spiritually and mentally. His intent was entirely evil induced by drugs, alcohol, and insecurities.
I remember the day when it happened. He started shouting obscenities at me because I wouldn’t do what he wanted me to do and that was to go and sell my body for drugs. I was tired of “the life” and wanted out. I even wanted out of the marriage. He pushed me on the couch, but what he didn’t know was that I had a knife hidden underneath the cushions. I fell backward, and as I started to get up, I discreetly reached underneath the cushion, pulled out the knife and with the opposite hand I reached around his neck, as if to hug him and with the other hand, that held the knife, stabbed him in the back. I was tired of being his punching bag. As he fell to the floor, I remember saying, “You will never put your hands on me again!” This was a drastic move, but in my mind, it was all I can do, and I wasn’t saved then.
Why did it take me so long to leave? Why did it take me so long to stand up for myself? I’ll tell you why, because I loved him and tried everything to make the marriage work. I wanted my marriage to be the first and only marriage. I didn’t want to be a part of the divorce rate statistics. Eventually, enough was enough.
Women, we must realize that God made us with purpose. We are the help meet (Genesis 2:20). When God made Eve, he created her with the ability to carry life. In the Hebrew, the name, Eve (chawwāh), means life (Genesis 3:20). We are much a part of the original plan as man. We are not second class citizens nor is our worth less than man.
I heard a man say that women aren’t interested in prophecy. How do you know? Did you ask or did you come to this conclusion because of how you see women? Women are just as significant in prophecy as well as in God’s plan. Consider, Mary, the mother of Jesus, Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, Deborah, who ruled Israel for 12 years. Deborah had political authority and it was said that she governed with a mother’s heart and a soldier’s strength. God also used women to prophecy or bring a message.
I am reminded of a wise mother who was teaching her son about finding a virtuous woman. The word virtuous from its original tongue means wealth. The wealth is that she cares for not only her family, but for others. She is resourceful and a noble woman of excellence. I read that this woman does not work to get rich, but to give to her family and to the poor. Her husband is appreciative of her and she brings him no shame. She compliments him, which assists in bringing him status in the community. She is a woman of wisdom, and many speak well of her.
King Lemuel’s mother reminded him not to give his strength to women. In those days, it was not uncommon for kings to have harems or sexually indulge with many women. She reminded him that this destroys men. These types of women destroy nations and kings. She also warned not to give into strong drink or become intoxicated. Lemuel’s mother was a virtuous woman, herself.
In my study, I found out that Lemuel means, belonging to God. So, women, make sure that the man you want to spend the rest of your life with is a God fearing, bible believing, gentleman, raised by a virtuous mother, and most important, he belongs to God.
Bernie Wheater
Valerie Goodhew
Allen Russell
Sharon Harmon
First, I would like to welcome you to the site as a fellow author. As I will illustrate, looking at life with discernment from the right Source is the best way to answer any of life’s questions. Specifically I am talking about television vs. The Bible.
For instance, one of the goals of the media is to DESTROY morality, or at least DESENSITIZE you to immorality. In The Bible, Exodus 20:14 tells us “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” The issue is when sin is acknowledged and presented in a proper context. It is sufficient when God tells you NOT to do something.
In contrast, the mainstream media is redundantly reporting the “affairs” and sexual peccadilloes of celebrities, politicians, professional athletes, etc.
It is bad enough adultery exists, but to euphemize it or sell it as socially progressive has dramatically affected women’s attitudes.
As early as the 1900′s, it was predicted that women would become the most important household demographic (for advertising purposes) in the 20th century. Since women’s chores were largely indoors, their creativity led to decoration/buying furniture, their cooking led to sales of hundreds of millions of appliances, etc. A woman’s trust was earned when her husband was taking good care of her, she was dependent on him. But sadly corporate propaganda created so much consumer demand from women, vanity shopping, etc., that they overtook the roles of their husbands and became the DOMINANT members of their respective households. Now they don’t need a husband anymore, all the appreciation and respect is lost.
Now what television has done is basically HYPNOTIZE everyone so that they don’t give too much of their attention to other human beings. Why bother having a spouse, child, or friend, when this neat little cathode-ray tube tells you you want something so go buy it. If you have to use a credit card, that’s even better. The social engineers know that certain endorphins are released when you feel rich, even if you are actually getting in debt.
Now what TV has done to those who watch it is make them more selfish, as opposed to The Bible strengthening the love and fellowship between people. So in a nutshell TV tells you do what YOU want rather than what God wants. You know better than you CREATOR what’s best for you?
So I apologize for going off on a tangent but this is how different women can be as opposed to sixty years or more ago. Traditionally, a woman almost never walked home alone or went into town without her husband protecting her. Unmarried women were under their father’s protection, until they were deemed ready for marriage. Indeed, the act of the bride’s father bringing her down the aisle and giving her to the groom was to signify the transfer of protection and responsibility to the husband.
Now in the 21st century, some teenage girls “sext” their boyfriends, and you know the rest. That is quite a contrast, and it clearly illustrates the effect TV can have on a young woman, as opposed to a woman raised by her father in a Biblical background.
TV destroys relationships, The Bible (KJV1611 of course) STRENGTHENS relationships.
Thanks for the comment about the media. I was talking about the worth of a godly woman.