Our True Identity

Apparently today is International Women's Day . . .

It may come as strange to some since I am a woman, but I had no idea this day existed, until I was overwhelmed by it on my Facebook newsfeed today. As I watched the vast array of posts that appeared in my feed, I wrestled with a lot of thoughts and feelings.

What does it mean to be a woman in the culture I live in? In the communities I'm a part of?

Does this line up with what Scripture says a woman of God should be like? What should it look like to live as a woman of God according to Scripture?

I read things today about the intent of International Women's Day being about equality in all things for women. And I know that in many parts of the world there's a long way to go in that regard. But, I struggled with some of the militant, "women are better than men" sentiment that I saw expressed in some places today. I don't think that's helpful in any way.

I also don't think that's biblical. Everywhere I look in Scripture, I see both men and women valued, used by God, and gifted by God. It's not about one being better than the other. We may be different, but we all have value and worth before God. We're all God's children - ones He loved enough to go to the greatest of lengths to rescue and redeem.

That's what really matters. We can get confused when we seek our identity elsewhere, and we can get off track and start seeing other people as our competition. But, we need to go back to what really matters.

Yes, that means where there is injustice, we need to fight for justice. Where things aren't right, we need to work to make them right.

But, no where does that mean, we need to try to make ourselves better than others.