Feature: Happy Women's Day!

Today is National Women's Day in South Africa. The reason for this holiday is captured at About.com:

"On this day in 1956 some 20,000 women marched to the Union [government] Buildings in Pretoria to protest against a law requiring black women to carry passes. This day is celebrated as a reminder of the contribution made by women to society, the achievements that have been made for women's rights, and to acknowledge the difficulties and prejudices many women still face."

I am into Women's Rights. Actually, I am more into Human Rights and in terms of our modern classifications Women's Rights are a subsection.

I am angry at somebody. Yes, I am angry at that insecure 'Christian' man who woke up one morning sometime back and said to his wife 'You are not going to work. And neither is any other [Christian] woman.' I'm just as angry at him as I am against the fools who passed those horrible segregation laws all over Africa. And South Africa had it the worst.

Whoever started the idea obviously didn't give the Laws of Love or Proverbs 31:10-31 any serious consideration. Chances are he just repeated what his dad told him except he took it to the extreme. But some women do need to work and love it. Some women, in order to love, work. Some don't need to, or choose not to, but also out of love.

What I don't understand is why his sin was so important that he felt that millions of men in the years to follow ought to adopt it as a way of securing their headship of the household (ie lording their authority) at the expense of loving their wives and children. It was naive and arrogant and millions of people, yes, men, women and children have suffered as a result of that...

Lemuel: 'A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.'

Lunda: Yes. A good woman is precious. Unbelievably so.

'Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.'

Yep. True that.

'She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.'

Amen!

'She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.'

She loves people, all people!

'She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.'

And there were some stupid laws that prevented wives from buying and selling property without the consent of their husbands??? Those laws are gone too! Praise God!

'She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.'

Hey, what's that about work, Lemuel? I think other men, Christian men in particular, should read that bit.

'She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.'

A business woman? And she works till late at night!

'Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.'

Hmmm. I think this saying has such similarities with the proverb 'Behind every successful man is a strong woman.'

'She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.'

There's that business thing again! Wow!

'She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.'

She's certainly skilled! How do women do that?

'Her children arise and call her blessed...'

Mum, this one is for you - you are BLESSED! Missing you :-(

'[H]er husband also [[calls her blessed?]], and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." '

There you are again, Mum! You're famous! At least to me - you light up my eyes!

'Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.'

The most important thing in a woman is her character.

'Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.'

I say it again, the most important thing in a woman is her character.

Lemuel: Proverbs 31:10-12,15-18, 23, 24, 27-31 (NIV). Taught to me by my mother.

You had a wise mother, King Lemuel. My mother is of noble character too. And I learnt from her that whether a woman works or not, the most important thing about a woman is her character. And she is still so beautiful! @--}--}---

Happy Women's Day.