March is International Women’s Month. The beginnings of this human rights celebration and advancement of women goes back to March 19, 1911 when the first International Women’s Day took place.  In 1913 the day changed to March 8^th and in 1975 The United Nations recognized International Women’s Day. Today it is considered a national holiday in many countries. Internet sites are dedicated to posting the events, which continue to take place this month with some lasting through April. All of this focus on women and their history and achievements. Why?

The most universally discriminated against group throughout the world is the female gender. Be it in education, health care, job opportunities, wages, living conditions, violence, sexual assaults, disease or value placed on an individual, there remains a significant disparity between genders in most parts of the world. Though progress has been made, change is still necessary. The needed change will not only affect the lives of women; the entire world, men, boys, women and girls will improve when women are able to walk fully in their inherent purpose as God designed.

I am not discounting the importance of men and their place as they walk in purpose – my focus here is simply women. If you are a woman (or a man) with open eyes you see the inequity between the genders. When there is more of a balance we are more in line with God’s will. His will is for us to live a more abundant life! When each of us takes his or her rightful place, then everyone’s life improves. When we are able to love ourselves then we can love our neighbors. When we are walking in purpose, as individuals, then the world is better because of it.

Perhaps you are unable or not inclined to participate in an organized once a year event dedicated to the promotion of women’s advancement. All right. If you are a woman, can you empower yourself daily? If you are a man, can you empower women in your daily interactions? Perhaps a better question is, Are you willing to make an effort to empower women and create more equity in the world?

When people are living or rather surviving without being aligned with their God-given purpose they experience abuse. Living in alignment with our God-given purpose produces a thriving abundant life! When a creation works in tandem with the purpose designed by its creator it is in purpose.

We can use a screwdriver to hammer a nail however; you are abusing the screwdriver, and perhaps your thumbnail or something else when you use it outside of its purpose. Quite simply a hammer is designed to drive a nail. When we use the hammer as it was designed (to drive the nail) we will get the desired outcome and with efficiency.

When women are used as sexual playthings to be toyed with and then discarded, when they are baby makers without a voice, locked in one-sided silent partnerships or laying in wait for a prince to come along and whisk them up on a white horse (of course, riding off into the sunset) is that purpose? When 65% of the world’s children that do not attend school are girls or two thirds of the world’s illiterate people are women is that purpose? When the incidents of domestic violence create women living marginal lives and daughters likely to repeat the process is that purpose? When women fail to enhance the lives of their husbands, boyfriends, brothers, sons and other males they encounter is that purpose? When women are unable to support themselves or their families because of lesser pay than men in the same occupations is that purpose? Is vast numbers of fatherless families void of appropriate leadership purpose? Are girl babies being abandoned or young girls involved in sex trafficking does that sound like the purpose designed by a loving God? Being one of the five in six young girls who are victims of sexual abuse as a child is that purpose?

“Violence against women is one of the most widespread of human rights abuses. One out of every three women worldwide will be physically, sexually or otherwise abused during her lifetime.” (See http://www.rescue.org/our-work/gender-based-violence-programs) When women do not live according to their designed inherent purpose they are abused.

What can you do as a woman or as a man to empower a woman this month? Take a moment to think about how you can be part of the solution. You see either you are part of the solution or you are part of the problem.

When you apply the word of God to your daily life and love your neighbor as yourself you are part of His plan, His will, His solution. When you sow those seeds of love God will bring in a harvest. It may not look identical to the seeds sown by you however the more love you give the more will return to you in your life. The word says clearly in Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (KJV) The word deceived in this passage refers to being led to error. Man in Galatians six speaks of human being rather than the male or female gender. The word reap speaks of what will be harvested from the seeds planted.

This sowing and reaping principle is a thread that runs throughout the Bible in Genesis 8 verse 22 we see that this is not a short-term concept, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (KJV) Therefore the seeds that we sow we will harvest. As you sow love into your life and the lives of others you will harvest the same.

If you do not seem to have enough love in your life examine the seeds you have sown. If you are not experiencing a harvest yet, continue to sow – in love that is and your love harvest will come. The more seeds you sow the greater the harvest!

As the global observance of International Women’s Month continues Take Inventory and Take Action! What will you do to empower women? How great will your harvest be?

Keep those personal notes coming; I appreciate hearing about your personal reflections and how this blog is impacting your life.

Love,

Deborah

“Lighting the path to loving your neighbor as yourself.”