Church Lady

By: Carrie Hammye

“Many women have done excellently,

    but you surpass them all.”

30 

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 

Give her of the fruit of her hands,

    and let her works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:29-31

I used to hear “church lady” and cringe. It called to mind an embarrassing stereotype of a woman with no class, and no self-awareness. My mind has changed drastically over the years, though. I’ve figured out that church ladies are no joke. These women are the blood and muscle of the church. 

These women taught me how to “refresh” communion wafers so we could stretch the budget. They showed me how to serve 50 people on a tight budget, creaked on their knees to pray over me, changed my baby’s diaper. They are the ones who arrive 5 minutes after the baptismal floods the basement on a Friday night, and hand out towels Sunday morning when the baptism happens, in spite of it all.   

These are the Bible scholars who preach, teach, and hold a standard based on the Word. They are imperfect and opinionated, but they also keep showing up. 

Priscilla was like that, co-working with her husband and Paul and then discipling Apollos (Acts 18).

Tabitha was like that, making clothing for widows and impacting women for Jesus - so much so that they couldn’t leave her for dead, but sought a miracle resurrection (Acts 9:36-42).

Abigail was like that, stuck in a rotten marriage, but committed to her household. So much so that she risked death and assault to assuage the fury of the warrior David (1 Sam. 25).

Deborah was like that, judging a country full of needy and immature folks who desperately needed a leader. Then going to battle for a weaker brother because it had to be done (Judges 4 and 5).

I see you, church ladies. Wear that title with joy in who you are in Christ. You are right where you are supposed to be, and that’s no joke.

1. Are there areas where you have felt underestimated by others? By yourself?
2. Are there women in the Body of Christ whom you may have underestimated?
3. Take time to reframe who you are and who these co-laborers are. What is a church lady as seen through this new lens?
4. Pray for God to give you eyes to see yourself and others through His true

                                                    

*come back over the next four weeks for a more in-depth exploration of each of these heroes of the faith - Priscilla, Tabitha, Abigail, Deborah