They Couldn’t Stop Smiling!

imaginealt216x9__lightbox169On a recent Women in the Window trip to the Arab world, I noticed how few of the women we encountered on the streets were found smiling.  In fact, the opposite was true.  Their faces were often long, drawn, and quite sad.

During our leadership and health training on this same trip, we gained insight into one reason why this is so often the case.  We discussed the fact that women are beautifully and wonderfully created by God, in His image, yet uniquely different from men in certain ways.  As we shared this, one of the Arab women leaders voiced her disdain over this topic and the misguided teaching found in Islam that women are not only formed from the rib of man, but from the “odd” rib of man.  It seems Islam corrupts this teaching about creation, changing God’s honored position of women into a position of scorn, contempt, and shame.  Women are taught that because they are formed from the “odd” rib of man that they will never fully realize God’s honor nor receive His favor.

When we responded that women hold equal value to men in God’s eyes, and that we are found in a place of honor in His heart and Kingdom, the women’s faces began to beam with joy.  We backed this up with Scripture that shows God’s delight, and man’s too, at the appearance of the first woman, Eve.  And when we also told them about God’s promise to pour out His Spirit upon all people: men and women, young and old, who believe and trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord, they couldn’t stop smiling!

“I will pour out My Spirit on all people, your sons and your daughters will prophesy…even on my servants both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28-29

“I will turn their mourning (sorrow) into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:13

Amazon Smile

As you support Women in the Window International with your prayers and your gifts, you put smiles on the faces of women who have only known despair.  We want to tell you how grateful we are and offer you another way to support our ministry: When you shop at AmazonSmile and select WiW as the non-profit of your choice, they donate 0.5% of the purchase price to Women in the Window International!  Click on this link to support WiW every time you shop!

Rejoicing with you and grateful for you,
Kim