WOMEN IN ACTION

Back in 1857, when women practically didn’t have any rights in society, a group of women in a clothing factory in the US decided to protest against the unfair conditions they worked in… no, I don’t mean, the dirt of the place or even the load of work, but simply the 16 hours they were demanded to work daily for a third of the salary that the men, in the same factory and with the same duties earned – not much to ask right?

Well apparently it was a lot to ask for. Around 130 women were locked inside this factory and burned alive. All that came out of that, at the time, was the sad news on all papers… and a century later, an international day for women established on 8 of March of every year.

This past century was basically the equal rights’ period for us — a few decades ago, we couldn’t drive, vote, nor be in any position above men. We were seen as house decoration, mother of children, and incapable of living on our own-beings. Now imagine thousands of years ago? How were we seen back then?

In Abraham’s time, women were seen solely as giving birth or sex tools. Men used to take as many women as possible in order to increase their family number and be more powerful. And yet, our father of faith was different, just like every man and woman God chooses to use! Sarah, his wife, couldn’t bear him any children and so Abraham lived most of his life, childless but husband to one wife – this is what I call a real man! His wife was more important than children, status, power, and possessions.

When I think about Abraham, my heart burns with an indescribable faith… this man left his family, religion, costumes, and homeland to go to an unknown place because of a calling of an unknown God. And he believed, without questioning, that this God, Whom he had never heard or read about before, would change his life forever. This is faith – real faith.

Many people think that faith is making wonders happen, but the father of faith didn’t make any wonders… he was different, he didn’t live as most people in his town and culture lived. He was sensitive to his own conscience; his wife wasn’t simply a tool for usage when needed, but his other half in life, a true-life long companion.

Considering this greatness in Abraham, God chose him. His faith was already evident before his calling – being a husband to one wife, just like God had planned from the beginning. And then, to finalize the deal, Abraham believed upon his calling. That’s all. If you have to learn anything about faith, look at Abraham’s life and notice these two things:

He was different – he had a clean conscience before men and God. He did what was right, no matter the consequences.

He believed – he didn’t have testimonies of other people to rely on, or a church to go to, or even the Bible to refer to. He believed without proofs and because of his belief, he obeyed.

Have the above two powerful points about faith and you can consider yourself a Ms Abraham of today.

Cristiane Cardoso