Boss Women of the Bible: The Sequel

Hey Sis,

This next group of women we can learn from are unexpected. They are women whose reputation preceded them. I’m sure that when they were alive, many overlooked or counted them out because of their stories. But they were fighters! Just like you are, sis. All of them went through some form of heartbreak and pain but that is NOT how their stories ended. And neither will yours...

So let’s take a look at these BOSS women!

Ruth: The Loyal Daughter-In-Law

Ruth is one half of one of the most quoted love stories in the Bible. Her story is one of love, loss, and legacy. I recommend reading the Book of Ruth (It is only 4 chapters!). The story starts out with 3 women: Ruth, Orpah, and Naomi. Ruth and Orpah were married to Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Killon. Naomi was married to Elimelech. Unfortunately, all 3 men died so all 3 women became widows. Naomi encouraged Ruth and Orpah to return to their hometown, Moab since they were now unmarried. Orpah did just that but Ruth agreed to stay with Noami and they traveled to her hometown, Bethlehem.

After moving to Bethlehem, Ruth ended up working in the fields for a wealthy man named, Boaz. Ruth was doing her thing when Boaz noticed how hard she worked. Apparently, he asked around about Ruth because he knew about what she did for her mother-in-law, Naomi. (Sis, a reminder that while you wait, keep on working. You never know who is paying attention.) Boaz appreciated this so he asked God to bless Ruth. Long story short, Naomi peeped what was going on and told Ruth to “dress up” in order to catch Boaz’s eye. Ruth took her advice and long story short, Ruth and Boaz ended up getting married.

Standout scriptures:

“But Ruth replied, “Do not ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God...” (Ruth 1:16)

Lesson from Ruth: Ruth’s story is a story of God’s grace in the midst of a difficult situation. It is a story of RESTORATION. Ruth lost her first husband but remained loyal to his mother. She moved with her, found a new job, and ended up finding love again. Her story is not accidentally in the Bible. Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi paved the way for her to be in direct lineage with Christ. Ruth is the great grandmother of David and an ancestor to Jesus. How many people can say that? Sis, keep being obedient to God step by step, even in the small things. You never know how your obedience will pay off! Also, never forget Romans 8:28. God can pull the “good” out of “bad” situations. Things may not BE good right now but I know they will end up working out FOR good. Not your good, but his good.

Sarah: “Mother” of a Whole Nation

I relate to Sarah the most in my current season. Sarah’s story is a showcase of God’s grace. Her story is told in Genesis 15-18. Many of us know the story of Abraham and Sarah who were promised by God to have a child. Abraham had deep faith and is considered the “Father of Faith” but we cannot overlook Sarah. I love Sarah because she was so relatable. At around 65 years old, she laughed at the idea that she would have a child. However, she heard what God said. Years passed and Sarah started getting impatient so she figured she could help God out. (Don’t we all?!) Sarah told Abraham that he should sleep with his servant, Hagar. Sarah thought the promise of a child would be delivered that way. Hagar ended up giving birth to Ishmael BUT that was not the child God promised.

Fast forward to decades later, Sarah finally gave birth to her promised child at 90 years old. Abraham was 100 years old. Can you imagine?! They named him, Isaac. I’m sure we can both relate to Sarah because sometimes it seems like God is taking FOREVER to come through. We may even feel like we heard God wrong but Sarah’s story teaches us that God ALWAYS comes through in his timing and it usually isn’t how we pictured it.

Standout scriptures:

Genesis 18:12--”...So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my husband is also so old?”

Genesis 18:14--”Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year and Sarah will have a son.”

Lesson from Sarah: Sarah ended up becoming a mother of a nation and her ancestry also led to Christ. While we can all identify with Sarah’s humanness, there is a lesson in her impatience. Sarah heard what God said, but she thought that she could work out the situation on her own. She jumped ahead of God and blamed Abraham.

Sis, let Sarah’s story be a PSA to wait on God. But on the other hand, we can look at her story and see the grace of God written all over it. Sarah shows us that our faith does not have to be perfect and that God responds to faith even in failure. Sis, even our mistakes cannot stop God’s plan for our life. Why? Because he already factored them in. Life has a way of taking detours that God allows to put us back on track.

Rahab: The Unlikely Ancestor of Jesus

Rahab’s story can be found from Genesis 2-6. I LOVE Rahab’s story because hers is a story of redemption. Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho. Since she was a prostitute, she was forced to live on the edge of society. Her house was built into the city wall. The location of her house was the perfect spot for the Israelite spies to camp out because they would be mistaken for Rahab’s customers.

Rahab knew that hiding the spies in her home was dangerous. However, she noticed that there was something different about these “spies.” Rahab sensed that the Israelites faith was in a God worth trusting SO she took the risk. Because of her courage, God rewarded Rahab by promising safety for her and her family.

Standout Scriptures:

“It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was NOT destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” (Hebrews 11:31)

Lesson from Rahab: NEVER ever underestimate who God can use. Rahab was considered an outcast in her town because of her occupation. However, God still saw her and he used her. Rahab made the decision to not let her fear affect her faith in God’s ability to deliver. The most beautiful thing about her story is that Rahab is related to David and guess what?! David is family to Jesus. So Rahab, yes RAHAB, is an ancestor of Jesus! I believe her story was included in the Bible on purpose. Sis, God does not hold our past against us. In fact, he will use it for our present and future. Unknowingly, since Rahab was forced to live in the wall, it was the perfect place for her to be used by God.

Hannah: The Prayer Warrior

I have a soft spot for Hannah’s story. Her story is mainly told in 1 Samuel 1 & 2 and it is about perseverance. Hannah was married to Elkanah. Back then, polygamy was a thing so Elkanah was also married to Peninah. (That’s another story for another time LOL).Peninah had children but Hannah did not. Since Peninah was able to have kids, Elkanah treated her better. As you can imagine, this went to Peninah’s head. She would often throw shade and jabs towards Hannah because she believed that God kept Hanna from having children.

Hannah could not take Peninah’s insults much longer. She reached a breaking point and cried out to God from a place of DEEP pain. She prayed for a son and promised God that if He gave her a son, she would dedicate him back to God. Hannah also told God that as a physical sign, she would not cut his hair. Long story short, God heard her prayer and she gave birth to a son named Samuel which means, “I asked the Lord for him.”

Standout scriptures:

1 Samuel 1:11: --”Oh Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”

1 Samuel 1:19-20--”...When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

Lesson from Hannah: Hannah’s story is relatable. She was fully in touch with her emotions while she waited for the thing she prayed for. Her self esteem started to decrease. In that society, the ability to have children was an extension of a woman’s worth. Since Hannah could not have children for a while, her self esteem suffered. God saw this. He heard her desperately crying and more importantly, God heard Hannah’s prayer. The part of the story that gets me is when the scripture says, “God remembered her plea.” If nothing else, you should know that God hears you and He is STILL answering prayers. God doesn’t play favorites so if he heard Hannah, he hears you too!

Woman At the Well: The First Missionary

Her story is found in John 4:1-42 and is a story about reconciliation. The woman at the well often gets a bad rap for being married several times and living with her current boyfriend but her story is one of my favorites. Let me backup to the beginning--Jesus was on his way from Judea to Galilee. The most direct route was to pass through Samaria. However, most Jews avoided this because there was beef between the Jews and Samaritans. Jesus was unbothered. (That is why I love Christ because he always challenged the status quo.)

The story tells us that Jesus “had” to go through Samaria. (Sis, it is important for us to know that nothing happens by coincidence.) Jesus ended up taking a break from his travels and sat by a well called Jacob’s well. This happened at around noon while his disciples searched for food. While waiting, a woman approaches the well. Jesus made “small talk” with her. The woman was surprised because she was a Samaritan and he was a Jew. A conversation between a Samaritan and Jew never happened. However, once again, Jesus did not let society’s rules dictate his actions.

Jesus used this pause in his day to acknowledge this woman at the well and to engage with her. He used her thirst for getting water at the well as an analogy for her need for salvation. Jesus described himself as the “Living water.” He even flexed by telling her about her past to show that he wasn’t just anybody. He knew details that no one would know. The woman was shook. She basically said, “Who is this man?” This woman knew about a coming Messiah and even expected for him to come but she did not realize that he was right in front of her. He had everything she needed. What she was looking for in men could be found in the Savior sitting in front of her. Long story short, the woman ended up telling her experience to everyone in her town. She introduced her ENTIRE village to Jesus.

Standout scripture:

“Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?!” (John 4:28-29)

Lesson from the woman at the well: At first, I was low key bothered that her name was left out of the story. But now, I understand the beauty. What if this woman was not given a name so that you and I can see ourselves in the story?! Kind of like a "fill in the blank" type of moment. Jesus came to meet her deepest need but he did not come in a way that she expected. Isn’t that just like us? We put God in a box and look for him there. However, when we find Him, he is outside of the box we placed him in.

The woman at the well expected a Savior to come one day but she did not realize that this was the encounter she was looking forward to. Sis, DO NOT miss Jesus. I have been guilty of complaining about situations I am in but it’s important that we do not miss what God is doing in those uncomfortable situations. Don’t count God out. He moves suddenly and quickly so keep your eyes open!

Well, there you have it! A total of 11 amazing women from the Bible. I hope these two blog posts taught you that being a woman of faith does not mean to be passive, weak, or insignificant. Nope. These women were bold, exceptional, and straight up BOSSES. And sis, you are NO different! No matter what your story looks like now, be open to seeing God do a NEW thing! (Isaiah 43:19). Be open to where he is leading you!

Now go get 'em sis.