Superwomen of the Bible: Where’s My Cape?

We can have very high expectations of ourselves, and others may judge us by very high standards. When we get discouraged, where can we turn for realistic encouragement?

Apprehensively, I sat down at my desk and took stock of what was in store for the day. The piles of work, the emails and the voice mails seemed to be constantly growing into an overwhelming task.

I leaned back as I looked at the index card I had leaning in front of my computer. Proverbs 31:27, “She … does not eat the bread of idleness.” I sighed and picked up my things to head to a meeting.

As I sat in the meeting, I was asked a question, and an immediate answer was expected. “I am not sure, but I will have the answer to you as soon as possible,” was all that I could say. I sat back and prepared for the frustrated reply. Just as I expected, an impatient response came.

Aggravated, I took a deep breath; and just before I responded, I glanced down at the index card I had in my folder. Proverbs 31:26, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.” Once again, I silently sighed and tried to respond kindly.

Seriously?

Do you ever feel like you are not meeting the superhuman standards that are expected from you daily?

I am not sure about you, but measuring up to this Proverbs 31 superwoman seems like an unattainable goal for me at times. These days it seems like there is a never-ending list of tasks to be completed. With the checklist of attributes for this biblical superhero, I find myself asking, “Are you serious? How on earth can I accomplish everything on that list? It’s not humanly possible!”

Even with all of my index cards lying around to help remind me of how to achieve this superwoman status, I feel like sometimes I am just not superwoman enough to receive my cape.

Incredible(s)

Later that week while relaxing with my nephews, something caught my attention in the movie we were watching. The Incredibles is about a family of superheroes. The seamstress who made the family’s super suits created each one to highlight that person’s individual strengths.

I know, it’s just a silly children’s movie; but as the movie went on, a light bulb slowly came on for me. Each superhero was known for one special superpower, not a complete list of superpowers. Could I be on to something here?

The real superwomen of the Bible

I started a study of women illustrated in the Bible and was amazed at my findings. Each woman was highlighted for one special characteristic or spiritual gift. Dorcas (or Tabitha) was known for taking special care of the widows and orphans; Lydia was known for her business skills and ability to run a household; Esther was known for her extreme courage and integrity. I saw the same thing for Abigail, Deborah, Martha, Mary, etc. They were all human women, with weaknesses as well as significant strengths.

Did any of them measure up to all of the standards of the Proverbs 31 superwoman?

My study continued, and I eventually came to some comforting conclusions:

• The real superwomen of the Bible were not super at everything and did not try to scale every mountainous problem they saw. By focusing on one or more special spiritual gifts, they were able to make an extraordinary difference. Those distinct spiritual gifts made them realistic superwomen that we can relate to.
• As children of God, we all have been given distinct spiritual gifts. Just like the superheroes in the movie and the real superwomen in the Bible, each of us can be known for a unique strength and gift. Focusing on that spiritual gift and how we can best serve using that gift is the best way to start in serving God and our brethren.

Back to reality

I realized through all of this that I was getting discouraged trying to achieve Proverbs 31 superwoman status—to be super at everything all at once.

Don’t get me wrong; I still have my Proverbs 31 note cards lying around to help remind me of areas I can improve in. We all need to develop the character of God.

But can I really be good at everything right now? Can I really be super at sewing and farming and cooking and running a business and raising a family all at the same time? Perhaps I’ve focused on the Proverbs 31 superwoman ideal and not paid enough attention to the real women of the Bible.

Being a superwoman of God doesn’t mean you have to be perfect or super at everything. If I can have the compassion and love of Dorcas or the courage and integrity of Esther, I will consider myself a superwoman in the making.

We all have been given spiritual gifts; I have come to learn mine are service and compassion. Have you taken the time to discover what spiritual gifts God has given you? I would encourage you to take some time to figure out what your spiritual gifts are by talking to people around you and maybe asking your pastor.

We can all achieve superhero status and be realistic superwomen of God. We just need to discover the spiritual gifts God has designed for us and diligently develop them.

For related reading, see the new “Women of Faith” section of the LifeHopeandTruth.com website.

Kathleen Giza is a legal assistant who attends the Houston, Texas, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.