Be This, Not That.

Posted on January 31, 2019 by America's Keswick in Victory Call

“Women of God can never be like women of the world.

The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender.

There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind.

There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined.

We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith.

We have enough greed; we need more goodness. 

We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.

We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”

— Margaret Nadauld

I’ve heard the above quote before and I find it beautiful… and at the same time, it forces me to look at my own heart and ask myself what I could be doing better. When I read this quote, I wonder which categories I fall into. I can say that I don’t struggle with vanity… but my bag of makeup from Sephora might disagree with me. I can say that I’m very tender, but that conversation I had with the Comcast agent the other day might say otherwise. I can’t be alone here… does anyone else resonate with this?

For this devotional, I wanted to look into this quote and dissect it using the Word of God.

• “We need more women who are tender.”
  • “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32
  • “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” – 1 Peter 3:8

• “We need more women who are kind.”
  • “Be kind to one another…” Ephesians 4:32a
  • “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:12

• “We need more women who are refined.”
  • And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’” – Zechariah 13:9
  • “So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 1:7
  • “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.” – Isaiah 48:10

• “We need more women of faith.”
  • “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” – Hebrews 11:6
  • “For we walk by faith, not by sight” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

• “We need more goodness.”
  • “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23
  • “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” – Galatians 6:10

• “We need more virtue.”
  • “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge” – 2 Peter 1:5
  • “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9

• “We need more purity.”
  • “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8
  • “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” – Colossians 3:5

When I think of a woman who is tender, kind, refined, full of faith, full of goodness, virtuous, and pure, I think of the woman from Proverbs 31. My desire is to look like that woman and to be continuously molded into the image of Christ. We all have areas that we need to grow in… I surely know which areas I can work on. Which areas do you want to grow in this week?

Written by Erin Culleny. Erin Culleny serves as a Marketing Assistant and Staff Writer. She loves encouraging women through her Victory Calls and finds such joy in praying for her sisters in Christ. Her favorite activities include reading her Bible, encouraging others with scripture, buying new makeup, buying dresses, and eating at the Cheesecake Factory… In that order!

The Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 26-27; Mark 6:30-56| You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Have you allowed the world’s definition of a successful woman to blur the depth of His love for you?” – Patricia Ennis

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. – Genesis 3:21