Femininity
Scripture Reading: Song of Songs
Key Verse: 4:15 All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.
When I was a little girl, I use to dream of being a lady. The world of Little Women, with its gracious manners and old-fashioned, flowing dresses, fascinated me. Softness and lace, tantalizing fragrance and exquisite texture, a nurturing spirit and a love of beauty. These images of femininity shaped my earliest ideas of loveliness. Is that kind of femininity a lost value today? I don’t believe it. The world has changed, and most of us live in simple skirts or business suits or jeans instead of flowing gowns. But I still believe that somewhere in the heart of most of us is a little girl who longs to be a lady.
I also believe that today’s world is hungering to be transformed by femininity. What better anecdote for an impersonal and violent society than warm, gentle, feminine strength? Gentle strength, love of beauty, care and nurturing, are qualities of femininity. Being a woman created by God is such a privilege, and the gift of our femininity is something we can give both to ourselves and to the people around us. Just one flower, one candle, can warm up a cold, no-nonsense atmosphere with an aura of I care. Women have always had the ability to transform an environment, to make it comfortable and inviting. I believe we should rejoice in that ability and make the most of it.
At its best, our femininity arises naturally, out of who we are, and finds its natural expression in the way we live our lives and make our homes. But in our hectic, hard-driving society, it’s easy to lose track of our gentle, feminine side. Femininity is something we must nurture in ourselves and in our homes, and celebrate as God’s gift to us. A fragrant oil, drops of perfume in the bath water, a lace scarf or hanky in your pocket--the expression of femininity is a very personal thing.
Femininity includes a wholesome sensuality, a rejoicing in the fragrances and textures of Gods world. We honor God and express the spirit of femininity when we get excited. Look at your body. How unlike a man’s it is! The rest of you is different too, even the structure of you brain. Did you know that women have a higher pain threshold, a keener sense of smell, and better integration between the right and left sides of our brains?
Song of Songs celebrates feminine beauty with wonderful poetry. The woman described there had bouncy, flowing hair, sparking teeth, lips like scarlet ribbons, glowing cheeks, around smooth neck, gently swelling breasts, and clothing with the fragrance of Lebanon. Does that describe me? I hope so. I may never look like a movie star or even my best friend. But I can honor God’s gift of my femininity by taking care of the unique me that He has created.
Yet as much as I believe in taking care of myself and my environment, I know that if I put all my energy into self-care, I have missed the whole point. The true beauty of femininity comes from within. If that beauty is lacking, no exercise can put it there. No interior decorating scheme can give it to me. Ruffles and perfume are no substitute for inner beauty.
The true spirit of femininity comes from the heart. Thats why we need the message of I Peter 3:3-5, "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 holy women of the past who put their hope in God use to make themselves beautiful."
*** A brief word on ’Stillness’:
Stillness is something that many of us cannot even define anymore--especially if you are a young mother with children. But it is essential to all of us. Without it, the enemy (satan), will wear us so thin, we will lose our balance and perspective. Regular time for stillness is as essential as sleeping, eating, and time with our Heavenly Father. You all know that without it, we simply we not get time with God and our lives will lose their joy.
If you think you don’t have joy now, maybe you need to ask yourself, "Am I spending time with God everyday, regularly, just me and Him alone?" He will not demand it of you, but He is saying, "Here I am, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in and eat with Him and he with Me." Rev. 3:20. You open the door simply by praying, not rushing around, just getting still and praying!
What an invitation! Spending time with Jesus, Himself! So post this scripture in strategic places in your house and when things are getting out of control, read it again, and again and again, "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10.
Remember He created you a woman, to be feminine--rejoice in your specialness. You are His little girl!
Thoughts for Action:
> Write in your journal what makes you feel feminine.
> List what you need to do to feel feminine.
> Do one of the things you listed above today.
Additional Scripture Reading:
I Peter 3:4 Proverbs 31:30 Psalm 27:4 Psalm 116:7 Isaiah 30:15
