...of Becoming a Woman of God pt.1

The following is part 1 of a lesson I was blessed to present at the 2007 Misawa Air Base Ladies' Retreat in Japan. The theme was, "Becoming a Woman of God." This two-day retreat was rich in tangible lessons and reinforcing activities!

Outline:

Part I
Becoming

Launching Question: What is becoming of a woman of God?

As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19

I. Becoming Is Defined As:

A. Suitable; proper.
B. Any process of change.
C. Any change involving realization of potentialities, as a movement from the lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality.

II. An Unbecoming Morning

A. Concerned w/futile things
1. “To do list”
2. Hair & make-up check
3. Matching accessories
4. Children’s outward appearance
B. What should be the concern
1. Physical vs. Spiritual
a. Proverbs 11:22; ineffective beauty
b. Proverbs 31:30-31; fear of God & deeds gets the praise-not physical beauty
c. 1 Peter 3:1-6; submission to husband, a gentle & quiet spirit
d. 1 Samuel 16:6-7; issues of the heart

My Notes:

Becoming

(Day 1’s intro)-Proverbs 27:19 As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

Launching question: What is becoming of a woman of God?

Becoming is defined as: 1. suitable; proper. 2. any process of change. 3. any change involving realization of potentialities, as a movement from the lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality.

*When I woke up this morning, I began to think of all the things that had to be done. Immediately after my feet hit the ground, I turned around to make the bed. While shuffling to the bathroom, I “prayed, “ Lord please let my kids sleep long enough for me to get dressed, eat and have some time to myself. Sigh-I hope today is better than yesterday.

Everybody’s up, dressed and fed. Now it’s time to run a few errands. Before leaving I check my make-up and hair. Do these shoes really go w/this outfit? What about these earrings, do they accentuate my facial features? Okay, make sure the kids are still clean, shirts tucked in and hair still neatly combed & brushed. Ahhhhh, now we can go…

WAIT-STOP!

I’ve meticulously prepared myself physically, but not spiritually! Did I check my attitude? What about my heart, what have I been storing in it? Am I clothed w/the armor of God? Did I think to pray? Do I really think that those words I vomited was a prayer? Does my countenance accentuate my being a woman of God? When I get to where I’m going, the line is too long so I complain. I snap at the kids for not keeping up w/my pace. I take my frustrations out on the person in the bakery because my fruit tray is not ready-although the bakery has nothing to do with it! I’m having a bad day! I “run” thru the food court w/my head down because I don’t feel like talking to anybody. I have the, “I wish somebody would” attitude so I can tell them what’s on my mind. And then, it happens, someone bumps into me, spilling their drink on me & steps on my new shoes! “I’m sorry,” says the innocent, may I…(cutting off) Oh no you didn’t! Can’t you see where you’re going? My shirt is ruined, now I have to change before Bible study…nah nah nah nah! How becoming is that? What is it that that person sees right now? Is it the flawless hair, unblemished make-up, or is it the rudeness being expressed? It’s the attitude they see. All that preparation on the outward beauty was worthless. And you know what, the words, “before Bible study,” is baffling to them. She’s a Christian, may be what they are thinking. “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love…”

*We sometimes get so wrapped up in our physical beauty that our spiritual beauty is uncared for, or worse, not a concern at all. A woman of God ought to know that it is not the physical beauty she should trouble herself with. She knows that physical beauty w/a woman who has an unbecoming attitude is ineffective, Proverbs 11:22- Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows not discretion. Woman of God, you know that it is the fear of our Creator & your deeds that gets the praise, not your outward beauty, Proverbs 31:30-31- Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. You, oh woman of God, striving to be, exercises submitting to your husband, (if you’re a married woman) having a gentle & quite spirit, 1 Peter 3:1-6- Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do not give way to fear. Being the Godly woman that you are, you know that it’s a heart issue, 1 Samuel 16:6-7When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed stands here before the LORD.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks a the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”…