After talking with students on campus over the past few weeks, both male and female, I have found that there is an issue not only present on campus, but all across our society today. It is an issue, I feel, that as a society, we have been struggling with, and only slowly improving on throughout the years. This ongoing issue brings up the controversial question: Are males and females equal?

If men and women are in fact equal in this world, then why does it feel as though women are still striving for equality in 2017? Do women have a “place” in society and who sets those boundaries? How can Christian men and women living in today’s world look to the Bible for answers in how they should appropriately respond to the issue at hand and reverse the disappointing views of women that society has portrayed for centuries?

After having been faced with these questions for quite some time now, there are two women in the Old Testament whom have always encouraged me. Both these stories remind me to take courage in the fact that I am a woman designed for a purpose…a purpose that has the potential to call me outside of my kitchen walls.

The first woman is Esther. Now Esther was an orphan taking in by her Jewish cousin Mordecai and his wife. Her story takes place during the time of King Xerxes, a ruler of all of Persia. The book of Esther begins with King Xerxes searching for a new wife due to the fact that his last one denied the King’s request, and was banished from the royal household. Esther graciously wins favor with the King and becomes the new Queen of Persia. Not only that, but she then goes on to save the entire Jewish population from being executed. To do this, she not only had to boldly go against the law and approach the King without him first requesting her, but she had to make her petition again in front of the entire banquet of attendees. During both these events, Esther was given authority as a woman to develop a way to defeat those who were against her and her people. God, in fact, chose an orphaned-Jewish girl, who was considered an outcast in her society, and placed in her in power over all of Persia.

God granted Esther so much favor with her husband, in which the King explained:

“Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you. ” (Esther 5:3)

Esther’s story is one of bravery, courage, and defying the odds. She was willing to risk her life in order to remain faithful and obedient to God. Yet she was also willing to honor her husband in humility, by yielding to him with admirable respect. She had much confidence that God would provide for her every need…and He did just that and more.

The second woman in the OT who also exhibits great leadership abilities is Deborah. The Bible explains that Deborah was a homemaker, a stay-at-home wife and mother living at home. Even during her time at home, she used her God-given leadership abilities to counsel those outside of her home, her neighbors, who were faced with many challenges at the time. Most know that Deborah was a judge in Israel; however, it is not mentioned that this position was used to continue to develop her leadership skills, by training and equipping her even more so then before. God had to ready her for when He would soon call her into what He had designed her to do all along…

In chapter 4 of the book of Judges we find a woman, Deborah, who is in power over a man, Barak, and ordered him to recruit ten thousand men from his tribe to defend the national borders. In Judges 4:8 Barak asks Deborah to accompany him in war. This was a BIG deal. During this time period, if any man were to die under the authority of a woman it was considered a disgrace. Even so, God used this mighty woman of God to defeat the Canaanites and destroy them. The Israelites had their VICTORY all thanks to their now, respected, woman-military leader.

From these stories we can conclude that if God used a woman to make decisions over an entire nation, and then called another woman to lead a whole army into victory (during a time of when that was most certainly not the norm), then He can certainly use and call women in this day in age. We are being equipped as we speak to do the work that He has called US to do…even if we have no clue to what that looks like yet. It is our job to make sure we are staying diligent in the work laid out in front of us, so that when the time comes to rise up, we will be ready just as Esther and Deborah were. Christian men and women both have a place in this world…but this place is only found in the plans our Father, the Creator of the universe, has laid out before us.

To the Women: Keep equipping yourselves in the Word, building up your leadership skills, and getting yourselves
ready for the battlefield. Do not lose hope.

For God has called you for such a time as this.

To the Men: Do the same. But it is also your job, as fellow believers, to be encourages of the women; to let
them have a say, and to move out of the way when you feel as though it is not your time to shine.

For God has called you for such a time as this.

Men and women are equal. We are all leaders. We are equal in the fact that God has designed us each with a purpose in mind. Not equal in the fact that we have different leadership roles to play.