The new year is often ushered in with thoughts of resolutions. Whether it’s the anticipation of a healthier self through nutrition and exercise, or a more purposeful life with hopes for a career change or a new hobby, many view turning the proverbial (calendar) page as a catalyst for becoming the best version of themselves. But what does that mean from a Biblical standpoint? 

     For women, the question becomes even more complex. From celebrities to social media influencers, mentors to life coaches, women today are searching for ways to become the best version of themselves. There are so many ideas and opinions, but not all of it Godly in its origin. In the tech-savvy world we live in, there are like-minded voices that we can tune into, but nothing can substitute for God’s word – the Bible itself.

     Although women were not highly regarded in a professional or political sense during Biblical times, they were instrumental in our salvation history. The cliche “behind every great man is a great woman” plays out over and over again in both the old and new testaments. 

     Consider Esther, a beautiful, orphaned Jewish girl adopted by her Uncle Mordecai. Through a series of providential events, Esther one day finds herself chosen from a harem to become Queen. Even with this place of prominence, she is subject to death for addressing the King uninvited, which is exactly what Mordecai asks her to do for the protection of the Jewish people. 

“Do not imagine that you are safe in the king’s palace, you alone of all the Jews. Even if you now remain silent, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another source; but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows—perhaps it was for a time like this that you became queen?” After hearing this, Esther asked Mordecai and the Jews in Susa to fast for three days, and she and her maids did the same. She said, “I will go to the king, contrary to the law. If I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:13-16)

     Esther didn’t use her good looks or smarts to try to manipulate the King; rather, she prayed and fasted, asking her people to join her, so that she may have the courage to face the King and ask for leniency for God’s chosen ones. And God did great things through her. Just like Esther, God has a purpose for each of us. The practice of prayer, fasting, and scripture reading can reveal His will, and give us the strength to face any obstacle in our path.

     In the book of Ruth, we come across a mother- and daughter-in-law who find themselves widows. Naomi, the mother-in-law, tries to convince Ruth to leave her and go back to her Moabite family to find a new husband. Ruth refuses to leave the elderly Naomi and accompanies her back to her hometown in Israel. The love and loyalty between these two women is evident. It clearly emanates from their trust in God’s providence. Through their faithfulness and obedience to God’s will, Ruth catches the eye of Boaz, a wealthy and righteous man who shows compassion. Eventually, the two wed and become the great-grandparents of King David. And of course, many generations later, we have the King of Kings, Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem as direct descendants of Ruth and Boaz. 

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:17)

     Had Ruth not shown the unselfish loyalty to her mother-in-law, she never would have found her way to Boaz. Had Boaz not followed the law and shown compassion for a widow in a foreign land, there would be no Jesus. It is through these acts of generosity that we are open to receive God’s greatest gifts. God created women with the gift of receptivity. This is affirmed biologically in that a woman’s body is meant to receive new life. And the carrying and nurturing of that new life is a sacrificial pouring out of God’s love. The reciprocity is not just biological, but also spiritual and emotional as God intended. It is when we open our hands and accept God’s blessings that we are then able to serve others with those same hands. 

She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy. (Proverbs 31:20)

     May this new year of opportunities challenge us to embrace the Holy Spirit moving in our lives – and may our gentle waves create ripples through generations to come.

     Another woman who made waves comes to us in the New Testament. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well starts with brokenness and despair. Ostracized by the community because of poor decisions and a hard life, this woman travels in the heat of the day to draw water from the well in peace. But living with the shame of sin, she has no peace.  Graciously, Jesus seeks her out, as he does all of us in our time of need. Despite being considered inferior at the time due to her sex, ethnicity and indiscretions, Jesus chooses her to reveal Himself as the Messiah offering her living water. He knows that he can break through this woman’s hopelessness and give her strength for a new life – both on earth and in heaven.  And better yet, she will take this knowledge and evangelize to others, genuinely wanting the same for them. 

Many Samaritans from that city believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his word. (John 4:39-41)

     If you’re feeling unseen, marginalized, or hopeless in your current situation, know that Jesus is waiting for you at the well. He longs for you to trust in His heart and His living water. He’s not asking you to clean yourself up and be worthy of His forgiveness, He’s begging you to let go of your belief that you can do it on your own, and simply rest in His mercy. This is what Jesus longs for. Meet Him at the well and share the good news with all who will listen. 

Speaking of listening…..the tale of Martha and Mary is another that can bring about a more fruitful life in 2025. 

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42) 

     I admit, I have had my time as Martha. Despite the good intentions of serving, oftentimes in the church, I let my anxieties and ego taint the good works. Jesus is not saying hospitality isn’t important. In fact, it was an extremely important role for women in Biblical times. What he is saying is that it should never be at the expense of spending time with Him. Consider this excerpt from Father John Bartunek in his book The Better Part:

“The crucial sign that we may be following Martha’s footsteps a little too closely is a waning life of prayer. When we skimp on our prayer life, on that precious time that we spend, as Mary did, ‘at the Lord’s feet listening to him speaking,’ we need to stop and check our spiritual vital signs. Maybe we have allowed ourselves to become so ‘distracted with all the serving’ that we have forgotten why we should be serving in the first place.” 

     So how do we take care of our families, co-workers and community (like Martha) and still live a contemplative life (like Mary)? By serving with a grateful heart. By accepting, without judgement, when we (or others) fall short of our expectations. By not resenting others for their lack of help. And in those times that you’re unable to sit with a cup of tea and your Bible, perhaps instead you can say a short prayer or whisper a “thank you” for the blessings you’ve been given. Ask for the supernatural power to find gratitude in every dish, diaper or act of discipleship. Ask for your prayer life to increase this year, and watch as it bears fruit. 

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)     

     It seems the once popular FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) has been replaced by JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out). I’m not so sure God would be in favor of either of these philosophies. Operating with a sense of FOMO might cause one to waste time on unnecessary things and burn out. On the other hand, JOMO may have one missing out on worthwhile events and blessed opportunities. The truth is, sometimes you have to say no to tempting opportunities in order to keep Christ at the center of your life. And other times, when you want to say no, you might be called to step out of your comfort zone and have faith that God will equip you with what you need for the task. Like a young lady from the little town of Nazareth –  Mary, the Mother of our savior, Jesus Christ. Mary is known for giving the ultimate fiat – her yes to God’s will. 

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.”  But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”  The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”  Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:28-38)

     The emotions of fear and joy are both alluded to in this scripture passage. First, the angel Gabriel calms Mary with the words, “Do not be afraid.” It’s clear he has a big message for the young lady and she braces herself to hear it. When she questions how she is to give birth to a son since she hasn’t had relations with a man, it isn’t in disbelief, but rather with a willingness on how she can help fulfill God’s plan. Gabriel tells her the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the child born will be holy. She is also told that her barren cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son. Both of these are joyful miracles. But, how did she choose that joy over the fear of uncertainty? Mary could have politely declined. She could have fought God’s calling and exercised her own free will. And who would have blamed her. Young, unwed, poor – who was she to be the mother of the Messiah? Who would believe her? 

     As Luke also mentions above, we know that Mary was favored by God. She was set aside for big things. The dichotomy of Mary’s mighty meekness was exactly what God counted on for her role in our salvation. He knew Mary would cooperate with His will, and all humankind would benefit from her faith and obedience. Luke mentions a total of three times that Mary “pondered” things in her heart (Luke 1:29, 2:19, 2:51). Perhaps this could be a year for us to ponder. To block out the noisiness of the world and listen to God’s calling.

Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)

     While much emphasis is put on the act of “doing” when it comes to growth and self-improvements, sometimes the opposite is just as effective. Mary’s humble obedience and strong faith are an example to all us women living in today’s world. A world wrapped up in relativism, contradictions, and comparisons. Could this be the time for us to quiet our hearts and sit with God’s truth? To stop trying to control everything in our life and instead, trust God to lead us to our true purpose? One thing is certain – He will accompany us on the journey. Just as he did Esther, Ruth, the Samaritan at the well, Martha, and Mother Mary.