Recently, a reader posted (actually, I think it may have been spam) on my blog denigrating American women. His opinion was thus:
I am an American man, and I have decided to boycott American women. In a nutshell, American women are the most likely to cheat on you, to divorce you, to get fat, to steal half of your money in the divorce courts, don’t know how to cook or clean, don’t want to have children, etc. Therefore, what intelligent man would want to get involved with American women?
American women are generally immature, selfish, extremely arrogant and self-centered, mentally unstable, irresponsible, and highly unchaste. The behavior of most American women is utterly disgusting, to say the least.
Now, to be sure, I am an American woman that meets one of those criteria. To my great shame, I am overweight. However, the more I thought about this rant, the more I realized the man was off the mark. The reality is, being American has nothing to do with being a dishonorable woman. Being a feminist does. The enemy's lie of feminism has stripped women of their natural beauty, rendering them ugly in the sight of men seeking feminine beauty.
As I contemplated true feminine beauty, I realized that the bible has given us all of the tools necessary to be truly beautiful. Titus 2 tells us that older women should not be false accusers, shouldn't drink much wine, be teachers of good things. It goes on to say that we should teach the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands and to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands. Does that sound anything like what the commenter described "American Women" to be?
In 1 Peter 2 servants are told to be subject to their masters, with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward (difficult to deal with; contrary), but the real kicker happens in 1 Peter 3. Here is says LIKEWISE, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversations coupled with fear. As women, we are to be subject to our husband EVEN if (and when) they are contrary! How is that for a hard task!?! And then, in Ephesians 5 it says, Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.
We American Women need to take back our femininity. As beguiling as the world is, with it's promises of freedom, glory and fulfillment, it really is nothing more than a pit of emptiness. While it's true that women are capable and strong in their own right, our true strength is uncovered when we submit to our husbands. It takes great strength to submit. Being kind and gentle when your husband has been angry and unreasonable with you is truly a difficult task, but an unsurpassed thing of beauty. Loving your children with patience at the end of a grueling, stressful day appears as pearls around your neck. And the eternal value of being a woman of honor is unparalleled. You, as a Godly woman, can affect your children's, your husband's, and untold other souls for eternity.
There is humility and self-sacrifice required to be quintessentially feminine. You will have to deny yourself and serve others. But the process will eternally change you. Your beauty, once fading, will begin to emanate from your very being. Every time you gently touch your cranky child or caress your contrary husband, looking adoringly into his eyes, true beauty will envelop you.
You don't have to be a quintessentially American woman. You can be a quintessentially feminine woman. You can wear your femininity like a garland around your neck. All you have to do is obey God. Love your husband. Love your children. Live for them - not for you.
Being a Woman of Honor is not for the faint of heart. It is the hardest thing you will ever do. But, it is rich, it is fulfilling and it is right. And, it is truly beautiful.
