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ZuluWhen March 8th rolls around each year, it is not uncommon to hear the question, "Why is International Women's Day important?"
While the 100+ year old holiday has only recently been recognized and celebrated worldwide, it has become a true representation of the benefits that come with honoring women in our societies. There is now a set day by which women and men around the world can celebrate the women who have inspired them, strengthened them, and led them. What a blessing!
This is why it is incredibly fitting that the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Women in Leadership.”
As enlightened followers of Christ, it is our privilege to make disciples and spread the good news to all who inhabit the earth. We can use our unique abilities to convey the ways in which our God has changed our hearts for the better. It is a beautiful love story that we get to share.
God used women throughout the Bible for some of His most crucial work.
As we celebrate this day and thank Jesus for the women who have led us in our lives, it might be a good idea to take encouragement from the book of Esther.
Who better to represent women in leadership than the Queen of Persia?
It’s understandable if you’ve read the Esther Bible story and not felt as though it related to you much. After all, this book describes a lavish lifestyle of jewels, servants, and an ornate palace. Even the current British royals would be taken aback by the elaborate kingdom!
Yet, we often forget that Esther was not born into that life. Her heart did not seek out precious metals or the things of earth. In fact, for Esther, her crown only symbolized grim responsibility.
Forget all the riches and wealth for a moment. Instead, picture a youthful girl whose light and joy has been dimmed while she struggles with surrendering her life to God.
Most of us need to pray and remind ourselves to abide in Jesus all day long, and we do not have nearly as much pressure as this young queen did. Her faith in God would determine the mortality of those she held dear.
Esther desperately followed God’s will for her, even when she felt paralyzed by fear. She had learned through her cousin Mordecai that the Jews were going to be ruthlessly killed by her husband’s army without his knowledge. When Mordechai begged her to approach her husband for help, she hesitated against it. Approaching the king without invitation was a death sentence— even for the queen.
Mordecai reminded her that her silence would not go unnoticed by God and said to her, “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
After Mordecai’s words of encouragement, Esther approached the king and saved the Jews. She came to understand that God hand-picked her from the beginning to deliver His chosen people.
God appointed a young woman who came from nothing to demonstrate His sovereignty and everlasting grace. The story is not only a testament to God’s infinite love for the women He created, but also a reminder of the way He works through us when we abide in Him while seeking out His will for our lives. Isn’t that magnificent?
For this, we will praise God and cherish the women around us on International Women's Day.
We will thank Him for how He has led them and in turn how they have led us. But, let us remember to utilize our voices to spread the word of Jesus Christ so that the entire world might be saved through Him.
Here are five easy ways to love international women on International Women’s Day. Fulfill your purpose as ambassadors, leaders, and disciple-makers for Jesus our Lord and Savior by reaching out to the women God has placed in your life.
God has given us salvation, and it seems that no matter our social status, geographical location, or the language we speak—we were intentionally placed here for such a time as this.
