Dear Father, there are many things upon my heart of grave importance. May Your hand be in it all. Guide and direct it all within Your will. Amen.

Luke 8:1-3 (<<click to read the passage)

Women. Where would we be without them? Well, for one thing, we wouldn’t be. Period.

You may not be aware but yesterday (Sunday, March 8th) was International Women’s Day. The first National Woman’s Day was celebrated in the United States in 1909 when 15,000 women went on strike in New York City to protest poor working conditions, bad pay, and to demand the right to vote. A lot has been accomplished on behalf of women in the last 100-plus years but there are still many things to be overcome…grievous things.

As I watched a couple of videos in regard to this annual recognition, I heard several referrals to statistics of the abuse, neglect and victimization women are made to endure. As I further looked online there was a huge volume of information about the plight of many. Here is one paragraph that I read.

The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2001 and 2012 was 6,488. The number of American women who were murdered by current or ex male partners during that time was 11,766. That’s nearly double the amount of casualties lost during war.

And that was in the United States. Internationally, it is far, far worse. It is overwhelming! As I read, it got to the point where I just didn’t even know where to begin!

So why do I speak of these things? We need to be aware of them. But I want to stress that I am not making a political statement of some sort at all. I am responding to God’s word. In today’s passage, Luke makes a point to make us aware that Jesus included women amongst those that He “took…with him…”

At this time in Jewish culture that just didn’t happen! My study Bible* states matter-of-factly that “women were not supposed to learn from rabbis.”

Now maybe you are thinking, “Well, that’s a bit of a stretch, isn’t it? Jumping from women who are not supposed to learn to men murdering their partners?”

Is it though? Any mentality that places anyone on a lower plain of value eventually leads to a downward spiral of neglect and abuse.

Again, if it were not for women, none of us would be here! So why do we find it so easy to tread them underfoot. A portion of a wedding ceremony I have used comes to mind.

In the consummation of the first marriage, the woman whom God made as a helpmate for man was not taken from his head to rule over him, nor from his feet to be trampled by him, but rather from his side that she might be his equal, from under his arm that she might receive his protection, and from near his heart that she might own and command his love.

Jesus made a point to show His love and acceptance of women. His example showed us that they were not subordinates but partners, companions, helpmates. With the Lord’s enablement, may we strive to end the abuse, neglect, and victimization of women at home and abroad! Instead, may we love, honor, and cherish them as did our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mar 9th, 2020, Mon, 12:49 pm

*New Living Translation Life Application Study Bible