I was with my friend Ria and she was trying to decide on outfits to portray three different women from the Bible for a speaking engagement she was going to speak at.
These are three very different women: Queen Esther, the Samaritan Woman, and the Woman with the Bleeding Disorder.
As I was pondering the 3 different women, it came to me that the 3 women could essentially be the same person. Oh, we have different personality quirks, different cultures and even different families but “people are people” and outwardly, the clothing would change according to culture, but the person inside could be the same woman.
The same woman could be in royalty, or she could be discarded like trash and for sure this same woman could succumb to illness. Many of life’s circumstances we do not get to choose, none of these 3 women chose their circumstances, it had been done for them. Ester had been plucked from her home by the King’s men, the Samaritan woman had had 5 husbands and now was shunned and the talk of the town, the woman with the bleeding disorder had succumbed to disease. The question is, in whatever circumstances you find yourself, whether you picked it or not, are you willing to be used for good where you end up? We have a choice.
Another friend of mine Pauline allowed me to quote her line: “We can chose to be voices of inspiration or a cry of desperation.”
The outward trappings, adornments we put on ourselves do not make the person, the heart does and a heart fully devoted to God can change the world.
These three women – changed their worlds and the lives of countless others.
Queen Esther saved the Jewish people.
The Samaritan woman saved her village.
The woman with the blood disorder – we do not have a record of the lives she changed, but she left Jesus’ presence with a story that no one could take from her. It was a testimony that for twelve years people who had seen her so ill would marvel over the transformation – she had been an outcast, shoved away, and unwanted. Now she had purpose and life.
We all want God to come and show Himself to us and in some cases He does, but more often than not, God shows up in His people.
Moses was a representative for God. David was a representative for God. Samuel was a representative for God. Abraham, Jonah, Peter, Paul, James – all were representatives for God. They said “yes” to allowing God to use them. When they said “yes” to God – He used them to change the world, just like all three women.
Are you ready in whatever, wherever set of circumstances you are in to say “yes” to God, to be a voice of inspiration and make a difference for your world? Then my friend, just say “yes” and watch God go to work.