I'm writing a letter to Ms. Britney Spears, and while I was doing that project, I thought I should write something for Womens History month to. Maybe you'll like it!
from
Shotgun
I do like it, Mr. Shotgun. I'm sure other readers will, too! - Kent (Shotgun's article begins below.)
With Britney Spears losing her mind, and Ms. USA making out with Ms. Teen USA, before getting snot slinging drunk; and with Paris Hilton videos popping up, and Christina Agulera singing songs about homosexuals....
What are young Christian girls supposed to do?Who are they supposed to look to for guidance in popular culture? Instead of Christianity being glamorized, it is despised, and often even shown as undesirable, a religion and lifestyle for old prunes and evil white southerners who want to keep others "down."
I've recently been learning about Christian History, and have run across some stories that have moved my heart, about some great Christian Heroes.
I'll list four women here.
Women who had the right attitude. Women who took a stand for their people, God the father, and their own consciences. In most cases, they lost their life because of it. These stories touched my heart, and I'm sure would do the same for any Christian who looks into their lives.
ESTHER
There is a little book in the O.T., nestled between Nehemiah and Job, that people tend to overlook. I'm not sure, but I think this is the only book in the entire Bible that doesn't mention God even once.
Esther was really HOT! She was beautiful. In fact, she won what I would consider to be an ancient equivalent of the Miss Universe contest. King Xerxes was looking for a new queen, (since the old one had a habit of not coming to him when he called). So he sent out commissioners into all the provinces of his realm, to find all the beautiful girls, round them up, and bring them all back to his palace in Susa. (If he was anything like Ol' Shotgun, they would have all came to him eventually anyway... )
Esther 2:17
: "Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the others..."I don't have the space here to recount the entire story, but, Esther was made queen. When faced with a decision that would mean death for all of her people, (the Jews) she made the decision to stand up for what she KNEW was right. She trusted in God, stared death in the face, and confronted the most powerful man in the world. God used Esther to carry out his will, and he wants young Christian women of today to be just as steadfast and brave as she was!
Vibia Perpetua
This young woman lived in Carthage around 200 AD which was a part of the Roman Empire at that time. Christians were persecuted and killed for their faith! Ms. Perpetua was martyred when she was about 21 or 22 years old. Despite desperate last minute pleadings by her father, (which included an appeal to the well being of her infant son) Ms. Perpetua would NOT renounce her faith. She would not give up her Christianity, even in the face of death.
I've often had the same question asked of me. "Shotgun, if you're ever faced with the decision to die, or renounce your faith, wouldn't you just renounce your faith, just to get out of the situation? "
Ms. Perpetua responds to her father with this line of thought, (this is the Shotgun paraphrase)
Ms. Perpetua
: Father, look at that vase over there. Could you call it anything other than a vase?Her Father
: No.Ms. Perpetua
: Then you cannot call me anything other than what I am. A Christian!She was killed by bulls in the arena.
http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/perpetua.html
Jane Gray
Ms. Gray was intelligent, possessing a fine Christian attitude, and very beautiful. After certain political "games" she was made Queen of England in 1553 (almost against her will) for 9 days, but was dethroned by Bloody Mary.
Earlier in her life Ms. Gray had met Ms. Mary, and told her what she thought of her Catholic beliefs (she didn't think too highly of them). Ms. Jane was being raised as a Protestant. Mary was initially hurt, but later sent Ms. Gray a nice dress. Ms. Gray said it would be "a shame to follow my Lady Mary against God's word," and refused to wear the dress, but her parents "made her" do it. They also "made her" marry a man that she didn't really want to marry. They also essentially "made her" the Queen of England.
After Mary (the rightful heir to the throne) regained power, she offered to spare Janes life, if Jane would only renounce her faith, and accept Catholicism.
Ms. Jane was executed February 11, 1553. After reciting Psalms 51, she knelt down, and uttered her final words, "Father into thy hands I commend my spirit."
http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/England/Tudor/JaneGrey.html
Is it just me? Or do Christian women seem to have attitude problems? They just WONT CONFORM! This is seen clearly in my last Hero.
Sophie Scholl
Just before she was executed, her mother told her, "Remember Jesus Sophie," "I will Mother, and I'll remember you to!"
The Nazi's had taken over Germany, and a few brave souls would challenge the evil Government. A group of college students began writing and printing the "White Rose" a news letter that spoke out against National Socialism. Sophie was a part of this group.
When Sophie and her brother were caught leaving copies of the newsletter on a college campus, they were quickly tried, and executed.
The guards were amazed at the level of calm defiance that Ms. Sophie Scholl showed before her execution. She looked death in the face, and was not afraid! An observer who saw Sophie on her walk to the guillotine said she walked "without turning a hair, without flinching." Her brother was also executed, and his final words were "Long live Freedom!"
Conclusion
There are many brave men and women who have stood up for their faith, and for their beliefs in the face of death! Young Christian women need to look to the past at some of these wonderful and brave women!
Times and trials of the day often cause God to use people, who otherwise would just fade off into the past without ever leaving a mark. Do those women exist today?
I would like to implore the young Christian woman, not to look to Hollywood, or popular culture for role models, but to the past, and also to the present. Look to strong Christian women who are around you. Your moms, aunts, and grandmothers! Don't always take your cues from the "popular girls" who look like nothing more than Laguna Beach clones, or MTV sweet 16 prodigies. Remember Esther, remember Sophie Scholl! Remember Jane Gray, and Ms. Perpetua!
Model yourselves and your attitudes after them, because in them, the words of the Apostle Peter are really made clear:
"Instead (beauty should) .. be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in Gods site. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful." 1 Peter 3:4