Inspiring words

THE FIRST WOMAN

DAY 2 (THE CHARACTER OF WOMEN)

THE MAN GAVE NAMES TO ALL LIVESTOCK AND TO THE BIRDS OF THE HEAVENS AND TO EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD. BUT FOR ADAM THERE WAS NOT FOUND A HELPER FIT FOR HIM.Genesis 2:20

READ: Genesis 2:18-20

REFLECT

Sensitive and Strong

Have you ever heard a man say it must be a girl driving a car when the driver appears to be tentative on the road?

Aside from indecisive, women are also accused to be illogical, emotional, sensitive, and a little too hormonal to lead great movements and companies in the world.

But thanks to the increasing number of women who have not shied away from taking on leadership roles, disproving that not only such things are not for a woman, but that being relational, kind, nurturing and tender-hearted, can be powerful and beneficial tools in the workplace.

I have personally met so many professional women who are also great mothers in their homes. It is actually remarkable to watch a working mother at work and at home.

Aside from meeting the demands of their work, they make sure to stay on top of all things children and household.

This is not in any way an insult to my husband, but I am always awestruck at how, even after having changed my son’s diapers a thousand times by now, he still can’t remember where to get new ones each time I ask him to do it. (You are free to chuckle.)

Whereas mothers who have bills to pay, menus to make, staff to manage, amongst a million other things, never forget the crucial soccer schedule, dinner with the husband’s office mates, and instructions for her cleaning lady week in, week out.

And this is not exclusive to moms. Is it not that many single women are also good event planners, master of logistics, chef, nurse, financial adviser and more?

I ask us to think about these things because I want us to realize that strength versus femininity is a false dichotomy. We don’t have to choose to be tough or be a girl. The list above should be enough to tell us that women were created to be inherently strong.

Yes, strong enough to be on top of things, be in charge of a dozen moving targets at the same time, and still have an ample amount of time to put on some makeup.

STRENGTH

But I don’t want to fall into merely stereotyping women. Some of our kind won’t agree to this at all, seeing themselves as more detached and logical, less than the usual depiction of the temperamental woman.

I agree with this. Not all women are nurturing, sensitive, emotional. Vilified by others, I must say that women of this kind whose toughness and strength in display are not to be thought of as less or wrong of our gender.

Many times I have been asked by women if it is wrong to be evidently strong and I say no. Strength is not reserved for men alone. This is actually embedded in the very first woman’s story, right when Our Creator came up with Eve.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
Genesis 2:18-20