Women of Worth

A Whatsapp video was making the rounds. A young girl walks into an elevator and, closely following behind her, walks in a man. The man swings his right arm and hits the girl on her face even before the door can shut. He grabs the handbag from the stunned girl repeatedly punches and kicks her. The elevator stops a few moments later, the elevator stops, he walks away with the stolen bag. It was disappointing to see her purse being stolen but what was more horrifying was the way the young man physically and brutally hit and kicked her. With the forwarded video came a message, a warning to women: do not go alone in the elevator with a stranger; instead, take the staircase or go whenever other people are around you. Obviously, the writer had good intentions to warn unsuspecting women, but I asked the question, is it always possible to avoid using an elevator with a stranger? What if one walked into an elevator and realised a stranger? Would she have to step out of the elevator again? Would one have to walk up the staircase to reach the 7th floor? What if a stranger walked up the stairs with her alone?

Someone once said the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. We may adopt external measures to protect women from impending danger, but what about the internal human heart from where stems greater danger. We need a change of heart. We need to change the way we view a woman, for in changing our perspective, can we change our behaviour towards her.

We need a change of heart, we need to change the way we view a woman for in changing our perspective can we change our behaviour towards her.

The Bible portrays womankind as people who are unique and special. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them”. The original Hebrew word for man or Adam is a generic term for males and females. A womankind ought to be treasured because she too was created by God and shares the image of God.

Jesus, during His earthly ministry, treated women with kindness. In Luke’s narrative, we read about a woman with a medical condition. She was subject to bleeding for over twelve long years. During Biblical times, she would have been considered ceremonially unclean, and she would have been cut off from all social and religious gatherings. In desperation for healing, she took the bold step of faith by coming up behind Him among the crowd and touching the fringe of His garment. She was miraculously healed. Instead of condemning her, Jesus affectionately calls her “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Jesus during his earthly ministry treated women with kindness.

Jesus showed compassion to a woman of ill repute. Luke reported of Jesus being invited to dinner at a Pharisee’s house. While seated, a woman of poor reputation walked in with a jar of expensive perfume. She sat at Jesus’ feet weeping. She wipes the tears off his feet and pours perfume on them with her hair. The bystanders were left uneasy and admonished her for this act. But Jesus gave her the greatest compliment, “Wherever the Gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

The greatest truth concerning Jesus’ resurrection was first revealed to a group of women.    These women were the first eyewitnesses to the empty tomb.   When they visited the tomb where Jesus was buried, the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.  Come see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead..”.  It was the women who carried the greatest announcement to the disciples.

The greatest truth concerning Jesus’ resurrection was first revealed to a group of women.

As we celebrate Women’s Day, it’s time that we value women. It’s time we treat her with love and kindness. It’s time we recognize her innumerable sacrifices. It’s time we acknowledge her worth.

Happy Women’s Day.

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