5 Things Young Women Need

So many messages bombard women today. It starts when they are young and only increases as they are confronted with movies, billboards, magazine covers, and secular culture. The few pop songs I have heard lately have grossly offended me as a woman.

So what do young women need to know? What do they need to do? Surely we don't have to buy into the pop culture of immodesty, immorality, laziness, and self-centeredness. 

It's always better to go to the Bible than to the world when we are searching for truth. Let's look at just five things that young women (or people of all ages!) need.  

1. To pursue a strong relationship with Jesus. The only way to walk in confidence is to walk in obedience to God (Proverbs 14:26). As a believer in Christ, you can know the truth about yourself. You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14); you are chosen and royal (1 Pet. 2:9); you are God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10). 

When you know the truth about yourself you are freed from the lies that your worth is determined by your appearance. When you know the truth about yourself you are freed from the need for the approval of men. (Pro. 29:25). When you know the truth about yourself you can encourage other women. You are not in competition with them. 

2. To know the truth about your appearance. Your body is the temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19). God inhabits you at salvation. God made you in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:15). The Bible plainly states that "beauty is vain." What is most important about a woman is her spirit or who she really is. "A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised" (Proverbs 31:30).

3. To understand your place in eternity. God made each of us for an eternal work. We were made for His glory and He formed us. He made each one of us personally (Isaiah 43:7). We are each called to surrender our bodies in service to God. (Romans 12:10) Life is simply not about us. 

4. To pursue skills. We are capable creatures and God has a work for each of us to do. Learn to DO things. Don't be content to be a ditz. It's not attractive and it devalues you. Learn to balance your budget, change the oil, make some bread, cook dinner, dress for an interview, entertain children for a few hours, deliver a presentation. There is really no excuse to not learn; you can find almost anything on the internet. (See Exodus 31:1-6. God gives His people skills to use to serve Him.)

5. To get to work. Go to that work that God has given you (1 Corinthians 10:31). If you are in school, learn as much as you can. Be the best student that you can be. If you're working, learn the skills you need for your job and do them with excellence. If you are single, married, or dating, pursue Jesus. You will not receive the validation you need from a boyfriend or spouse. Be the wife your husband needs. Encourage your boyfriend to serve Jesus. 

There is so much more to being a woman than our physical appearance, our relationship status, our salary, or our social position. We have a place of influence that we can use to spread the Gospel in our own neighborhood and around the world. Use it!