Powerful Women

Relationships posted by Kim Wagner on 02/02/10; 32 comments

Have you ever thought about how often celebrities and dignitaries credit their moms when receiving an award? "First of all, I'd like to thank my mom . . ." powerful woman

What is that all about? Why, at the height of recognition, do many turn to thank their moms?

You may never think about it, but every time you turn on a light bulb you can be thankful for an inventor by the name of Thomas Edison. He is credited with thousands of inventions. And do you know to whom he gave credit? The mom who homeschooled him!

"My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me; and I felt I had something to live for, someone I must not disappoint." —Thomas Edison

I would say that Nancy Edison held a great position of power and influence in young Thomas' life, an inventor who greatly impacted our nation and even the world. And she lived in a period before the popular feminist movement—she died before women were even granted the right to vote!

If you study the history of feminism, much of the rhetoric centers around women's sense of powerlessness or the perception that they have less "power" than men.

But is that an accurate perception?

Consider these lines are from a portion of William Ross Wallace's poem written in 1865:

They say that man is mighty; he governs land and sea.
He wields a mighty scepter o'er lesser powers that be.
But the mightier power the stronger man from his throne is hurled.
For the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.

The hand that rocks the cradle . . . rules the world?

Yep! And we have an up-close example of that kind of influential power in Scripture. In Proverbs 31 we are able to "sit in on" a mother-son training session. Jewish tradition states that this particular son in training was one of the most famous and successful rulers—known far and wide for his wealth and wisdom—King Solomon. This mom evidently made a powerful impact on the future king.

In the past fifty years, women may have obtained more "rights," but I don't know that those "rights" provide any greater power than that which comes from inspiring, motivating, and training their own children.

"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her" (Proverbs 31:25–28).

Comments

HEY, GIRLS! We love hearing from you, but feel limited in the ways we can help. For one thing, we’re not trained counselors. If you’re seeking counsel, we encourage you to talk to your pastor or a godly woman in your life as they’ll know more details and can provide you with ongoing accountability and help. Also, the following comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Revive Our Hearts. We reserve the right to remove comments which might be unhelpful, unsuitable, or inappropriate.

Steph

:)
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 7:29 am

I think it's such a cool thought that we can train up children to serve God and honor Him.

and that is one of the reasons I want to be a teacher, too - teacher's can have that kind of an impact on kids! (although usually to a lesser extent) Inspire them, motivate them, and show them purpose.
A lot of times politicians and actors will thank some obscure teacher, like their 3rd grade math teacher or something. :) haha. I would like to be that kind of teacher.

Ann

Hmmm...
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 9:30 am

I had never thought of it quite like that before. That is really thought-provoking.

Gina

Powerful Women
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 11:09 am

Thank you for the Post, Erin, but I disagree. I don't in anyway think that it was a bad thing that women got the vote. I think that whilst women and men are different, sometimes, in the past, men have taken advantage of this. I think this is totally unfair to say that a womens calling is to the her babies and the kitchen!

Megan

Re:
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 11:11 am

i agree gina, you are TOTALLY right. It is unfair to say it is a bad thing that women got the vote. We live in a changing world and you can't expect women to stay housebound forever. I mean Gosh!
i think we women should use this power that has been given to us to our advantage and spread the christian message in ways that previously would have been practically impossible!

Miriam

Re:
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 2:10 pm

Omg! I am so glad that women got hte right to vote! I mean, we weren't just made to sit around and play cook and mother our whole lives. I mean, those are both rewarding things to do, but we have the same potential to do things that men do too!

suz

Re:
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 3:04 pm

i definitly agree with you miriam we have the same rights as men do. Yes bein a homemaker, cook, wife, mother is great, but we can do anything we set our minds to.

edavis

Not a post about voting
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 3:07 pm

The direction that the comments are heading confirms for me that motherhood is an issue we need to be talking about. Kim never mentions suffrage in her post (women gaining the right to vote). I know Kim well and I can assure you that her point was not to say that women shouldn't have been given the right to vote. I also know because Kim is involved in a lot of important ministry outside of her home that she would never say that we were made to "sit around and play cook and mother our whole lives." That's silly! She simply states that we yield the greatest power when we use our influence to raise children to be Christlike.

I would strongly encourage you to consider to subject of motherhood with open hearts. Listen to what is actually being said instead of hearing an agenda that doesn't exist. And as always, use God's Word as your ruler to measure the Truth.

I love that this post reminds us of the powerful influence of mothers. It makes me appreciate my own momma and motivates me to keep pointing my kiddos toward Jesus.

Make sense?

Erin

NFC

Inspiring
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 3:43 pm

I loved this post. And it completely inspires me. As mothers, women raise the future of the world! Another thing that wasn't exactly mentioned was the extreme influence over men that women have.

We have the ability to tear down, or build up the human race.

as a side note, simply because women can do lots of things men can do, and sometimes do them better, does NOT mean that we SHOULD.:D It's fine not to be a wimp; the Proverbs 31 woman certainly wasn't one! But there's a difference between a woman's role and a man's, and simply because we can do anything a man can, does not mean that God wants us to.

Shelby

coool
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:47 pm

wow that is sooo cool.I never realy thought of it that way.

shelby

Deborah Davis

Motherhood!:D
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:52 pm

Wow! This post was really neat! I love it when Paul Washer says that: "The main focus of a Christ-glorifying family is (in Matthew 6:9-10, the Lords Prayer) 'Lord, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.'" It is to Glorify God and that the will of God would be carried out and that God's kingdom would advance in the life of the husband, the life of the wife, and the life of the children. I love this! You can find Paul Washer's sermon on ' A biblical Husband and Family' at sermonaudio.com. I have really enjoyed his sermons on these topics. Motherhood is to raise up children to be mighty men and women of God.

God's Princess

Re:
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 6:13 pm

Thanks, Erin. That does make sense.

Elaina

A Tad Confused
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 7:11 pm

Erin, could I ask you a question? Like I said in the last post, I am DYING to be a wife and mother, but the above comments all kind of threw me off. I mean, I understand that that this post isn't about voting or anything like that, but what some of the other girls said made me wonder........ I mean, I'm not making a 180 degree turn and fogetting motherhood or anything, but I want to know what exactly it says in the Bible that makes it our "God-calling" to stay in the home? What do I say to the people who will snub me for my purpose? How can I combat this? I need to get these questions answered now because I'm leaving home this fall for college. What's your take on this?

Thanks for posting about this, congrats once again on your baby!! I hope you're doin' well!!

Kim Wagner

The Right to Vote
on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 9:13 pm

Hey Ladies!

Thanks for all the great comments :-)

In reference to women having the right to vote, I think my point may have been misunderstood. Thanks, Erin, for stepping in to explain.

When I stated that Nancy Edison lived and died during a period before women were given the right to vote, I was trying to emphasize the fact that she was able to make a huge contribution to society -- through her influence as a mom -- in a period when women didn't seem to have much influence (as in "not having the right to vote").

I was in no way proposing we return to pre-suffrage days or that women should have no position of leadership or influence other than at home, but the point I was attempting to make is that the home is where God has given women their greatest role and opportunity of influence.

I hope this clears up the confusion! Thanks for the input girls -- I'd love to hear from others on this topic as well!

Brittany Lee

Motherhood!
on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 8:37 am

Great post Erin! Very thought provoking! That is so true! Thank you for posting this! :D

<3

alyssa

mothers
on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 9:18 pm

I realy think being a mother is one of the most greatest things. Without my mom I would literally be dead. She is a divorced single mother of seven including me with no child support comming in. She still homeschools and works. She is working to get a degree in nursing and i do not know how she does it. She also takes care of my grandma who has dementia. I am so glad God gave her as my mother. I would be happy to become even half of what she is. I hate it when people act that motherhood is not as important as other careers.All of us kids owe a lot to her. I totally believe The hand that rocks the cradle . . . rules the world. Mothers are awesome!!!!!

JaimeC13

wow
on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 2:40 am

... Thank you especially for including those last verses at the end of your post. I think you may have just redefined my ideas of feminism and what woman's power really is. Or at least expanded it. I'm DEFINITELY reading this chapter now. Thanks sooo much! (I'm not there in LYWB yet, but I'm 99.9% positive I would've had a hard time handling that lie. Until now.)

Anonymous

Re:
on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 9:58 am

Hi, first of all, I want to apologize, i think I came accross the wrong way in my post and probably misenterpreted what the blog was about. The thing is, is that I know that being a wife and a mom is a very important calling, but I don't see why women should do the housework and take primary care of the children. In some cases, within marriage, the woman has more earning potential. I'm not sure if you were trying to say that we shouldn't work when kids come along, but if so then it would be really great if, like Elaina asked, you could give some more biblical evidence. :)

NFC

Re: Anonymous
on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 3:35 pm

I can't speak for anyone else, but in my opinion, the Bible never says that women can't work outside the home. But it does plainly state that a career should never take priority over a home.

Titus 2:4,5

Train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be keepers of the home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

edavis

Women and Work
on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 5:16 pm

Hey girls!

I just wanted to let you know that there are a ton of posts on women and work outside the home in our blog archives. Here is a link to the May 2009 posts: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=22&wp_month=5&wp_year=2009&wp_day=false&wp_start=0.

This is a great place to get started.

Erin

Maddi

:)
on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 6:50 pm

I must admit I never thought of how big an impact I'll have on my kids. I guess I should realize it since I have to little sisters who want to be just like me.... even when I'm not the best role model. Knowing that being a mother will be such a big responsibilty scares m but it also excites me! I know that God will help me! I'm only 13 so I wont be a mother for a long time but still I cant wait to marry a wonderful Christian man and have kids!

I also wanna be a teacher so I will not only affect MY kids I will impact other mothers' kids to! That's a HE-UGE responsibility but again, I can handle as long as I have God!

AERO94

ERIN and all the others!!!
on Friday, February 5, 2010 at 3:47 pm

i am looking forward to the futereposts on motherhood i cant wait to be a mommy!! and i am ready to be challenged!!

claire

being a mommy
on Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 1:31 pm

what i have a problem with is how some men take advantage of the fact that the wife will be home, cooking and cleaning. i look forward to being a mom but i don't want to spend the rest of my life mopping the floors. Mabey i am differant, but that isn't my dream

re:claire and subject
on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 1:47 pm

I would not say you're different. in some respects i guess i feel the same way you do. i think it is our respondsability as women to be the homemakers but i sure don't think we should spend the rest of our lives keeping our house clean. :P it's not my dream either. :) so, i just wanted to let you know that i agree and you're not the only one.

I would like to have a career. i will probably wait a few years to have kids. I don't know wether i'll stop working when i have children. i just think i would feel horrible if i had to stick them in a daycare. i'm not saying that's bad and i know a lot of moms do it it's just that i've really enjoyed having my mom home for me and i think i would want to be there for my kids.

Kat

Same as claire
on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 9:39 pm

I agree with claire on feeling like some men take advantage of women who are devoted to the home. I've grown up around families where the husband yells at his wife to make him some toast and to tell him when she has it ready. I don't think that is really a bad thing, but i think the husband should ask if his wife would make him some toast instead of ordering her around like a slave.

Samirra

Influence
on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 10:30 pm

I liked this post because of how it explains how much mothers are needed in this world. It encourages young girls to decide to hav children (after they get married of course). I had made up my mind that I was not having any children when I grow up unless God said so. But now I think I want to have them because of all the good i could teach them and all the love I could give them. I'm not really worried about having a baby right now I'm on 16. But this post gives me hope for children that I may have in the future.

Kim Wagner

Agree with Claire
on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 1:06 pm

Claire,

I agree! I don't want to spend the rest of my life mopping the floors either! :-)

I hope my post didn't leave you with the impression that being a wife and mom means you are chained to the kitchen table with a work list! That is not at all the picture of motherhood which Scripture describes (check out Proverbs 31:10-31) and some of the articles which Erin gave a link to, and you'll see that motherhood gives plenty of opportunity for creativity and adventure!

Biblical womanhood is not a lifetime prison sentence. Nor is it an avenue for men to take advantage of women. God's ideal is for mature men to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:22-33) which means a holy, passionate, self-sacrificing love. (I don't think this includes yelling at the wife to make toast).

If you're interested in reading more about the biblical plan for marriage and the woman's role. Please check out an article I wrote for True Woman. You can find it here:

http://www.truewoman.com/?id=680

And Claire, although I don't want to spend the rest of my life mopping floors, I've found that when I view housecleaning as an opportunity to bless those who live in or visit my home, and I combine cleaning with worship and singing praise songs -- cleaning the floors isn't so bad! :-)

Blessings!

edavis

Elaina
on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 12:16 pm

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your questions.

It's really impossible for me to teach you exactly what God's Word teaches about motherhood in a blog comment. This really is a subject that you should research on your own. There isn't one simple verse that states God's opinion on motherhood. It is important that you research the subject in context throughout the Bible and pray for God to give you wisdom.

I can direct you to several past posts that we have on the subject. They should give you a jumping off point. Here are the links:

http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=259

http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=260

http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=166

http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=262

As far as responding to naysayers, this is another reason why you really need to research the subject and back up your ideas on motherhood with God's Word. It is much harder to argue with God's Truth than with your opinions.

I wish this was something I could do for you, but it isn't. I have personally had to move from fully embracing the World's view of womahood to understanding and embracing God's plan for my role. It isn't easy, but God's Truth is a powerful heart (and life) changer.

Hope this helps...

Erin

pitbullgrl

Re:
on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 12:32 am

whats with all the motherhood articles? no offense, but i think we get the point. but i have a real question. what if you hate kids?

AERO94

pitbullgrl
on Friday, February 26, 2010 at 8:24 pm

How can you hate something God created? um you where a kid once too!

pitbullgrl

Re:
on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 12:37 am

ummm... i dont hate kids, but what if someone did?

edavis

pitbullgirl
on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 3:34 pm

Hmmm...that sounds like something that would need a lot of prayer. I don't think it's fitting for a Christian to hate any group of people. What if they said they hated old people or they hated boys. We wouldn't think that's okay. But if someone is easily frustrated by kids or doesn't like to be around them, I would encourage her to ask God to give her a love for them. Plus, it is different with your own kids. I'm not a big kid person, never have been. I would rather spend my time with teenagers and adults, but I am absolutely gaga over my own kids...can't get enough of them!

Erin

Debbie Rodriguez

Motherhood
on Friday, March 26, 2010 at 2:33 pm

I see motherhood as a deep and personal calling from God. I think that every woman has the call, but some choose to ignore it, while others just grasp it as something that is expected of them and still others feel the calling to their very souls.

I think some smear the line between being mothers and women. Note that in Proverbs 31, it speaks of what a Godly woman entails. It pretty much describes her running her home, being a mom and doing business outside the home, too.

There are many things that women can do, if they choose to do so. A question that I ask myself is "Is this what I want or what God wants?" I know that following my flesh, needs and wants are not always going to satisfy and fulfill me. I have learned through personal experience that following God's path, though at times, different than mine, often leads to a more rewarding existence.
I LOVE being a Godly woman and mother.

In His Grace,

Debbie Rodriguez

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