So does it
mean only men influence their households spiritually? Most certainly not! The
clearest line of enduring spiritual influence I find in the New Testament; that
spanning 3 generations was through the influence of a mother on her child and
grandchild. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which
first existed in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am
convinced that this faith also exists in you2Tm 1:5(ISV). The sustained
influence resulted in the young bishop Timothy. Women influence their
households, the male and female members alike. At Philippi it was Lydia who
first received the word of the Lord, and she believed with her household. This
was quite similar to the jailer. One of those
who heard us was Lydia from Thyatira, who was a dealer in purple cloth. She was
a woman who worshiped God, and the Lord opened her mind to pay attention to
what Paul was saying. After she and the
people of her house had been baptized, she invited us Act 16:14, 15(GNB). As with men in
the household, so with women.
What if the
woman isn’t the head of the household as Lydia appears to be? Do you remember
the little maid in Naaman’s household? In one of
their raids against Israel, the Syrians had carried off a little Israelite
girl, who became a servant of Naaman's wife. One day she said to her mistress,
"I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He
would cure him of his disease." 2Kgs5:2, 3(GNB). It was through
her influence the general got to believe in and worship Jehovah. So Naaman said, "If you won't accept my gift,
then let me have two mule-loads of earth to take home with me, because from now
on I will not offer sacrifices or burnt offerings to any god except the LORD2Kgs5:17(GNB) . You don’t have to be termed the head for
you to exert spiritual influence and leadership. Even the maid in the household
exerts influence! Like that maid we need to know why God has placed us wherever
we are at any point in time.
What of Rahab?
So they went and brought Rahab out, along
with her father and mother, her brothers, and the rest of her family. They took
them all, family and slaves, to safety near the Israelite camp Jos 6:23 (GNB). Have you seen such spiritual influence as
hers in the Old Testament? Every member of the family including slaves saved. It
equals that of Abraham in my assessment. Mark you she raised Boaz - that man of
faith and ancestor of David. Salmon the
father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the
father of Jesse Mat 1:5(ESV). Clearly when
scripture says women are co heirs of the grace of life in 1Pt3:
7 it means every word of it: giving honour
to the woman who is the feebler vessel, but who has an equal part in the
heritage of the grace of life... 1Pt
3:7(BBE)
Ladies...
exert your influence!
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