Sisters are Doin' It

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.  for this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.  They were submissive to their own husbands." I Peter 3:3-5

When I was in nursing school, I loved the Aretha Franklin/Eurythmics song Sisters are Doin' it for Themselves. Talk about perfect motivation for going to class and working hard to find a good job.  Here are some of the lyrics:

 Now there was a time
When they used to say
That behind every great man
There had to be a great woman

Oh in these times of change
You know that it's no longer true
So we're coming out of the kitchen
'Cause there's something
We forgot to say to you

We say, Sisters are doing it for themselves
Standing on their own two feet
And ringing on their own bells
Sisters are doing it for themselves

This is a song to celebrate
The conscious liberation
Of the female state

Mothers, daughters
And their daughters too, yeah
Woman to woman
We're singing with you

The inferior sex
Has got a new exterior, yeah
We got doctors, lawyers
Politicians too, ooh, hoo...

Yes, sisters are doing it for themselves and they're miserable.  I know female lawyers and law students who are lonely and divorced because of their careers. I know a female doctor who lived 3 hours away from her husband because she had to fulfill her career obligations.  I know lots of women who are having trouble conceiving children because they "were doin' it" and have waited too long to be parents.  Aretha Franklin forgot to tell us that sisters who "do it" might become liberated from men, but will also become slaves to misery.

I was raised in a Christian school, a Bible-teaching youth group, and by godly parents.  I've been taught to be a self-thinker, an independent person, and a leader.  But it's taken me a long time to understand what my role is as a woman.  The world doesn't glorify the woman of I Peter.  The church sends confusing messages about her.  And she's hard to find.

The Bible says that the feminist, cultural message is wrong.  A woman is supposed to have a gentle and quiet spirit (I Peter 3:4); she's supposed to fear God (Proverbs 31: 30); and she's supposed to be submissive (Ephesians 5:22).   God's Word doesn't say that a woman can't be a cattle rancher or a school teacher or a chef.  But if she does choose an occupation, she must have the character qualities described above.  She can be well-educated, have a well-developed talent, and enjoy hobbies, but she must still be a godly woman.

I know women like this too--women who are kind and gentle and godly.  I sent one an e-mail this morning thanking her for her example.  If you know a godly woman, thank her.  The world won't, but women who are Christ followers should.  I want to be the beautiful woman described in I Peter.  I want to live the life that God wants for me.  I just won't be doin' it for myself.