Written
by Uyoyou Charles-Iyoha
Who
is a wise woman? A wise woman is a woman who fears God – Job Chapter 28 verse
28 and deploys the wisdom garnered from the fear of God into homebuilding and
nation building. Wise women therefore build nations by building rock solid
homes filled with the presence of God. What does it take to build a home?
A number of women in the Bible as well as in history
are shining examples of women who paid attention to the plans and purposes of
God for their lives and emerged victorious despite the challenges and oppositions
that dogged their paths. Mary Slessor, Florence Nightingale, and the founder of
Foursquare Gospel Church.
Significantly, Jechobed, Hannah and Esther are
regular people, not prophetesses, priests or temple assistants. In point of
fact, they were regular housewives saddled with the day to day responsibilities
of managing their respective homes successfully. Yet, they set time aside to
spend with God in relating with Him first as their God as well as addressing
issues of concern.
This implies that every wise woman is a person who
spends quality time with God and not necessarily a prophetess, priest, or
temple assistant. It also means that the key to wisdom and progress is in the quality time spent with
God for as a person spends quality time with God in His word, quality praise
and worship, God reveals His mind, plans and purposes, divine strategies for
success and progress to the person (Psalm
23, 107 verses 1 to 7, 23 to 30).
It was when these women sought the face of God in
prayers and fasting and quality time in His presence that the storms in their
lives were calmed. God revealed the divine strategies for solving their
problems. In the case of Esther, it was a banquet at which Haman behaved
untowardly towards the queen and was consequently sentenced to death and hung
in his own gallows that he had built for Mordecai. Also, the Jews were spared
extinction. Hannah was led to make a vow that culminated in additional five
children after she released Samuel to God in fulfillment of her vow. Jechobed
tactically hid Moses for three months and when it was no longer convenient to
do so, God led her to keep him by the riverbank and arranged for Pharaoh’s
daughter be there then, see the young child and have compassion on the child.
Beloved, these are clear divine leading guidance and strategies.
The virtuous woman described in Proverbs
Chapter 31 verses 10 to 31 is a classic example of a home builder and a nation
builder. She was a real helpmeet to her husband providing financial support,
spiritual support, and administrative support in running the home smoothly,
coordinating the maids, her business, her maternal role as a parent and her
role as a wife.
Queen Esther built her home with the
wisdom of God. Though married to an unbelieving husband, she was not the holier
than thou person. She submitted to her husband and built her home. For
instance, she did not barge in on Ahasuerus to demand an explanation for his
relationship and friendship with Haman despite Haman’s evil plot to exterminate
the Jews. Rather, she sorted out that issue with God in fasting and prayer. She
asked Mordecai to call the Jews in Shushan to a three day national fast. So
Esther, her maids, Mordecai and all the Jews in Shushan took up the case of
Haman’s death sentence on them to God in fasting and prayers for three days.
Beloved, the initiative and decision to fast for
three days was Esther’s. This tells me that Esther was in the habit of
presenting issues to God for answers and deliverance. For three days, Esther
pleaded with God to obtain favor from the King so that he would receive her.
Otherwise, she would be sentenced to death if the King did not hold out his
golden scepter to her. Secondly, she requested that the King would respond
favorably to her plea for the salvation of the Jews so that the Jews would not
be killed. By the third day, Esther was very sure that God had heard her pleas
and granted her requests. So she went to see the King even though the King did
not send for her.
Does God still work miracles? Yes. The
King was delighted to see his beloved Esther and held out the golden scepter to
her.
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