Tuesday 8th March 2002 marks International Women’s Day (IWD), which is a day celebrated by many people worldwide. It is a day to celebrate and recognise achievements made by women. Also, acknowledge the significant and remarkable impact women have made in society on a global, professional and personal level too.

There is so much power that women carry and that is mainly because God is with women always. He loves women so much that even in the most hardest and challenging of times, He support them and renews their strength each day. With God, there is no limits to what women can achieve!

While the general public recognises women throughout history and currently, the Eleuthera team take a close look at some of the women in the Bible. Every day this week, there will be a post on different women in the bible and the key lessons to reflect on when learning about their individual journeys. Today, Tumi Mary (member of the Eleuthera Team) takes you through the story of Rebekah and key points and perspectives that we as women can take into consideration.

Rebekah: Character and Beauty

In the book of Genesis, Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son from his homeland. As the servant is on assignment, he partners with God, praying as he completes the assignment. Midway through prayer, God sends Rebekah; an answer to prayer.

“And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah … came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up.” Genesis 24: 15-16

Character and beauty are not mutually exclusive. You can be both beautiful and kind. She was very beautiful and she also had kind character. Rebekah shows us it is one thing to be beautiful externally, but does our character match our outward beauty?

Proverbs 31 tells us that beauty, external beauty, will fade: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” (Proverbs 31: 30).

A woman who fears the Lord talks of character. When we fear God, our actions will reflect that. Beauty is not only what we see but what is internal. Peter says: “You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (1 Peter 3:4)

We should check what our character is like. What is our conduct to those in need? Who seem ‘inferior’ to us? Rebekah cared about a stranger that she had just met. She was not beautiful with a bad character. Her godly character caused her to be favoured. May we be beautiful women with godly character that leads us to favour!

And regarding external beauty, we don’t have to work hard to be beautiful. We are already beautiful. It doesn’t matter how many likes out favourite pictures get. It doesn’t matter how others look. Truthfully, God has made us perfectly beautiful. The same God that made the heavens, the galaxy, the universe, the most beautiful thing you’ve seen, He also made you.

And when He did, He said you were good.

Don’t chase the world’s standards of beauty. Know the truth that as He formed you, without the makeup, you’re beautiful. If you’re struggling to see that, pray: ask God to open your eyes and show you how beautiful you are.

Your beauty hasn’t been constructed by men but by God. And everything His hands form is good and lasts.