I am woman hear me ROAR
In 1972, Helen Reddy wrote a song entitled “I Am Woman” which became the anthem for the women’s liberation movement. Here it is:
Okay, listen to this: Reddy credits the song as having “supernatural inspiration.” She said:
“I remember lying in bed one night and the words, ‘I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman’, kept going over and over in my head. That part I considered to be divinely inspired. I had been chosen to get a message across.”
In October of 1972, the song reached No.1 on the Billboard charts and won a Grammy Award. In her acceptance speech for Best Female Performance, Reddy thanked “God, because She makes everything possible.” In 1973, the National Organization of Women (NOW) closed their annual convention with the playing of “I am Woman.” NOW’s founder Betty Friedan said
“Suddenly women got out of their seats and started dancing around the hotel ballroom and joining hands in a circle that got larger and larger until maybe a thousand of us were dancing and singing. ‘I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman.’ It was a spontaneous, beautiful expression of the exhilaration we all felt in those years, women really moving as women.”
Women were mad and they weren’t going to take being treated unfairly any longer! “I Am Woman” is the song of a feminist heart. The song lyrics reveal her experiences deepened the convictions (strong belief) of her soul. She had been:
Down on the floor
Bent but not broken
In pain and paid a price
She goes on to say that wisdom was born from this pain. She infers that she has learned from this experience or experiences and that her thinking about herself and the direction of her life has changed.
Are we as women today so different? Some of our decisions have been born out of pain due to the actions of others. This can certainly change the directions of our lives. We can feel a need to protect ourselves, fight for our rights, or finally be heard (a/k/a ROAR). We have many reasons to thank those brave women who went before us fighting for equality and justice on our behalf. But have we come too far?
Often, our opinions, attitudes, and actions are made based on what we feel or think is right based on our circumstances. So then, since truth is relative to our circumstances, we do whatever feels right, is comfortable, makes others happy, results in the least conflict or produces a positive outcome for us. Here's the thing though - opinions, attitudes, and actions can be influenced and, therefore, can change. Is there any way to know that we know what is true about us no matter what is going on around us? Is there absolute truth in the face of our circumstances?
I believe God’s Word is absolute truth and God, in His Word, has a very clear standard for us as women and individuals.
Standard means…something set up and established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, or quality.
If we proclaim to be followers of Christ, then truth is not relative to our circumstances. We must make decisions based on what God says is right in a situation. There is absolute truth and there are moral truths and principles that do not change no matter the times or circumstances. No matter what is going on in society or culture, we can cling to absolute truth. No matter what our feelings or circumstances tell us, God’s standard for us remains the same. All kinds of bad things can happen to us and demeaning things said to us but God’s people make their decisions based on His Word - Truth. Every lie that demeans and devalues comes from the father of lies – the one who is a murderer from the beginning. We must remember his crafty schemes are devised to destroy us, our families, and our society. And, if we don't believe in absolute truth then any 'ole lie will do...and will eventually destroy us.
Our choices and behaviors not only impact our own lives, they have a ripple effect on our families and our society in general. But, we can turn this around. We can do it! First, we have to decide what we are going to believe. Are we going to believe the liar or the one who is God – Truth?
I am woman hear me ROAR: there is absolute truth! Let's remember, to live otherwise has and will continue to put our families, homes and society at risk. Amen?
