A Blessing for Women

March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day to support women across the globe. It’s a day to encourage women to follow their passions, a day to increase awareness for issues that affect women all over the world, a day to stand against sexism and discrimination in all forms.

As a woman in ministry, I’d like to celebrate this International Women’s Day by taking a look back at some important but perhaps less well-known women in the Bible and encourage women who are out there doing hard and holy work today. Please join me in offering blessings for Biblical and modern-day women.

For the Daughters of Zelophehad: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah bravely approached Moses to ask for the inheritance that should rightfully be theirs. Inheritances were passed down to sons, not daughters. Their father had no sons, so their inheritance was going to be given away. However, they stood up for what they believed was right and, in doing so, changed the laws so that women would be eligible to receive inheritances.

I offer a blessing today for women who have been passed over, for women who fight the legal system, and for women who take a risk to stand up for what they deserve.

For Deborah and Jael: Deborah was a prophetess and judge to Israel. She told Barak that God was commanding him to lead an attack against King Sisera, but Barak would not agree to go on his own. Deborah then said she would go with him, but she also warned him that his victory would not lead to his own glory. God would instead give Sisera to a woman. The woman who successfully defeated Sisera was a woman named Jael. She tricked the evil King Sisera and removed his threat from the nation.

I offer a blessing today for women who take charge, for women who do what is thought to be impossible, and for women who protect their people.

For Shiphrah and Puah: Shiphrah and Puah were Israelite midwives who were instructed by Herod to kill all the boy babies of Israel in order to appease his fears. They refused to follow Herod’s orders, and when he asked why they disobeyed, they told him that the Hebrew women gave birth too quickly for them to intervene.

I offer a blessing today for women who stand up against injustice, for women who subvert corrupt systems, and for women who stand up to tyrants.

For Jephthah’s Daughter: This woman is one of the many unnamed women in the Bible. Jephthah was up against a battle, and he made a vow to God that, if he was victorious, he would offer the first thing that came out of his house as a burnt offering to God. His daughter was the first to walk out of his house to greet him when he returned home. Though he lamented, he kept his vow and sacrificed his daughter.

I offer a blessing today for women who suffer at the hands of men, for women who are treated as objects instead of people, and for women whose names are forgotten.

For all these women and more, I offer blessings. I bless all women in every time in place, of every age and circumstance, in every joyful and sorrowful situation. I bless the daughters and sisters and wives and mothers, the aunts and cousins and nieces, the godmothers and grandmothers, the neighbors and teachers. I bless the women who hold hands, the women who heal, the women who help. I bless women who laugh and women who cry. I bless women who lead and the women who follow. I bless the women who are born today and the women who will die today. I bless the women who are passing along the torch and the women who will pick it up and run.

Women, may you be blessed this day and always! Amen.