How do we strengthen families when we are bombarded by bad examples? How do we stand spiritually firm when we want to wade in questionable activities (not bad, just questionable)? How do we set an example for those around us?

As women of God, we need to recognize that we have value, first, and foremost. Women have been given a bad rap over the centuries. Eve, who is the mother of all living, is remembered as the gal who got us into all of this trouble. Can you imagine? This choice woman of God understood The Plan and followed her instincts. It is because of her we can all become like our Heavenly parents. Okay, Adam was pretty obedient too. But, those are the kind of examples that are available to us: a man and a woman working together toward salvation.

Have you ever heard of the Nine Worthies? New discovery for me. Yes, now I realize all of those famous statues and masterpiece paintings we’ve learned about in Humanities classes are these important people in history. The Nine Worthies are nine men from history who have been triumphant in their lifetime. There are Nine Worthy women as well.

I took some time to do a quick search on some of these women who have done something deemed amazing and worthy. I’m sorry, but I have to admit that I don’t get it for two reasons:

1)      Many of the women on the list were Amazons, or women who lived in the early centuries, where records are hashed over by multiple historians. The women may or may not have even existed; they are legends or mythology.

2)      What is the ideal?  These very-less-than-likely-accurately-recorded women apparently fall under this category. And even “the ideal” is questionable.

Here are some of the women I read about:

Penthesilea—This woman was an Amazon queen. Amazon women were female warriors from Greek Mythology. It’s questionable they ever existed, but they are well documented in Greek art. A few of her sisters are also worthies, so this was quite a family of strong females. She was out hunting deer with her sisters when she accidently shot her arrow and killed her sister, Hippolyta. Honor meant to die in battle, so she decided to join the Trojan War and vowed to kill Achilles. While battling him, Achilles hit her hard on her breastplate. While begging for her life, he killed her. But when he removed her helmet, he instantly fell in love with her. (This woman is apparently the quintessential heroine.  I’m not sure why; was it because she was so very beautiful??)

Judith—587 BC—The Book of Judith is Apocryphal, so it’s not actually in the Bible, or true, for that matter. It is the story of a wealthy widow living in a village that is on the verge of being invaded by Nebuchadnezzar’s Army. To save her village, she decides to visit the General of the Army to seduce him and make him drunk. Once he is drunk, she and her maid are able to cut off his head.  Together they take the head and display it from the outer walls of the town, which scares the army away. She becomes a national heroine. (Not a bad story: Shades of Nephi.)

Boudica—Died in 60 AD. Queen of the British Iceni tribe. When her husband, the king, was alive, the tribe was allied with the Romans, but when he died, Roman soldiers invaded her village. They flogged Boudica, and raped her daughters. Seeking revenge, she led her people in a revolt that destroyed several settlements killing as many as 80,000 people. (Now there’s a heroine to emulate.)

Hypatia—born in 370 AD. She was a Pagan philosopher and one of our first mathematicians. She was a teacher and director of one of Alexandria’s famous schools. She dressed like a man and drove her own chariot around town (which was unheard of for a woman). Some Christian monks didn’t like her teachings. They incited a riot where a mob dragged Hypatia from her chariot, stripped her, killed her and burned her body. Most of her writings were destroyed when the Arabs invaded Alexandria. Her students escaped to Athens and preserved some of her teachings and philosophies in their own teaching. (She was definitely bold and ahead of her time. It’s kind of too bad “the Christians” killed her.)

Eleanor of Aquitaine—born in 1124 AD. At age 15, Eleanor married Louis VII, King of France. Dressed like an Amazon, in full body armor, she and 300 of her ladies went off to fight in the Crusades. They never actually fought, but her headstrong disobedience upset her husband nevertheless.  Their marriage was annulled, and a year later she married Henry II, King of England. Years went by where she is credited for beginning the Second Crusade (clearly, she didn’t put her armor away), and she had ten children. She finally left her philandering husband and returned to France. Her husband took her back and imprisoned her for fifteen years. Her sons killed their father and rescued her. She became England’s Queen Regent directing the Third Crusade with her son Richard the Lionhearted. By the end of her life, she was able to set her children on thrones of all of the countries of Europe. (I can’t help but wonder what she was really  like in person.)

I believe that Satan has worked his wicked magic through the centuries. The world has taken him on like a cloak, covering its deeds, or worse, exemplifying his cunning.  But God too has worked His magic. He has provided for us examples to emulate. There are indeed people who have documented lives that stand as a witness of God’s greatness. Those are the people we should look to for spiritual strength. Then we will have the strength to teach our children, and our children’s children.

I bet we could easily come up with a list of our very own Nine Worthy Women; women truly worthy of our emulation. Here are some past posts that may inspire your own list.

• Holy Women
• Amanda Barnes Smith
• What Is A True Woman Of God?
• Mothers Teaching Children
• The Integrity Of Ruth