A Woman’s Worth
Tom Sugimura
From Creation
The worth of every woman was established from the beginning when “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27). For she was created by the almighty, all-knowing, all-loving God of the universe, neither as a mistake nor an afterthought, but as a person made in the image of God to reflect his magnificent glory. God designed her with a built-in desire for relationship and communication. Her affections, mind, and beauty all call forth his “very good” verdict on her creation (v. 31).
God made Adam first. “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him’” (2:18). For the first time in the creation account, God declared a thing “not good.” Yet he already had a plan—a helper—in mind. The word “helper” was a designation of honor, often describing God himself. Thus, the woman would be a perfect fit—a suitable complement—for the man. “So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man” (vv. 21–22). The woman was God’s idea and God’s creation. And he made her neither higher than man nor lower, but taken from his side. Then, the man sang the first love song in the Bible: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (v. 23).
Sadly, however, sin and fallenness soon corrupted our world and separated us from our Creator (3:1–13). Yet, even in judgment, God declared the woman’s worth as the “mother of all living” (v. 20), for one of Eve’s descendants would be the Promised Seed—the Anointed Messiah, the Son of God—who would crush the serpent’s head (v. 15). Eve’s failure did not diminish her worth which God had established before the fall (5:1b–2). Thus, every woman’s worth is grounded in creation, transcending any wrongful shame or guilt she might suffer throughout life.
Throughout Scripture
We find many worthy women in the Scriptures:
Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel were the matriarchs of Israel (Heb 11:11), while Hagar named the Lord “The God who sees” (Gen 16:13).
Tamar acted more righteously than Judah (Gen 38:26).
Jochebed, the mother of Moses, secured her child in a basket (Heb 11:23) and Miriam, his sister, persuaded Pharaoh’s daughter to take in Moses as her own (Exod 2).
Rahab spared the spies in Jericho (Josh 2).
Deborah, the prophetess and judge, urged Israel into battle (Judg 4–5).
And who could forget Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14; 2 Chr 34:22) or the daughters of Zelophehad (Num 26:33; 27:1–11; 36:1–13)?
Ruth clung to Israel’s God just as she clung to her mother-in-law, Naomi (Ruth 1).
Hannah dedicated Samuel to be a prophet and priest unto the Lord (1 Sam 1–2).
Abigail’s wisdom tempered David’s anger (1 Sam 25:32–35) and Esther came into her own at just the right time (Esth 4:14).
Also, recall Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon (1 Kgs 2:19) and Eunice and Lois, the matriarchs who instructed Timothy in his faith (2 Tim 1:5).
Other notables were Peter’s mother-in-law who served our Lord after Jesus healed her sickness (Mark 1:30–31) and the wife of Simon of Cyrene who acted like Paul’s mother (Mark 15:21; Rom 16:13).
Mary gave birth to our precious Savior, swaddled him in her arms, and sang his praises in the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55).
Her cousin, Elizabeth, miraculously bore John the Baptist in her old age (Luke 1:5–45) and Anna announced the Messiah’s arrival (Luke 2:36–38).
Woman Wisdom, in Proverbs, is personified as female (3:15) and the Proverbs 31 woman is a blessing to her family: “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels” (v. 10).
Although women in ancient times were often treated as second-class citizens, observe how Jesus and his apostles always treated them with honor.
The Samaritan woman was the first recorded Gentile to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. Then she went and told her entire community about him (John 4).
Jesus spoke with many women publicly (uncommon for a rabbi): the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12–13), the woman with a bleeding disorder (8:48), the one who had a crooked back for eighteen years (13:12). And not only did Jesus speak with them, but he did so with respect (v. 16).
Joanna, Susanna, and other faithful women followed Jesus as his disciples and financially supported his ministry (Luke 8:3; Mark 15:41).
Jesus tore down ancient gender barriers as he honored women, conversed with women, ate meals with women, taught them from the Scriptures, ministered to them as their Good Shepherd, and died on the cross for their sins also. Jesus was radically counter-cultural when it came to the way he treated women. He blessed their children (Luke 18:15–16), raised their dead (7:12–15), forgave their sins (7:44–48), and restored their virtue (John 8:4–11).
Martha and Mary were friends who welcomed Jesus in their home and would later watch with wonder when he raised their brother from the dead (Luke 10:38–42; John 11:1–45).
Mary Magdalene and others mourned at our Savior’s death and burial. Yet such women were the first to witness and proclaim his resurrection (John 19:25; 20:14–18; Matt 28:7, 9).
Tabitha, full of charity and good works, was raised up from the dead (Acts 9:36–42) and Damaris of Athens was lifted out of her pagan philosophies (17:34).
Lydia, the wealthy businesswoman, and Nympha in Colossae both hosted local churches in their homes (Acts 16; Col 4:15).
Priscilla, with her husband, discipled Apollos, the mighty preacher (Acts 18; Rom 16:3; 2 Tim 4:19) and Philip’s daughters prophesied the Word of God (Acts 21:8–9).
Junia, along with Andronicus, was “well known to the apostles” (Rom 16:7),1 while Euodia and Syntyche were partners for the gospel whenever they weren’t fighting (Phil 4:2–3).
Phoebe, the faithful servant likely delivered Paul’s letter to Rome, in which he included many women in his personal greetings to the church (Rom 16).
Worthy women were present on the day of Pentecost to receive God’s gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). They were present in the early church to pray, prophesy, and sing (1 Cor 11). And women will be present in the eternal kingdom to worship around Christ’s throne (Rev 7:9–10).
Appropriately, also, the church is called the Bride of Christ (Rev 19:7; 21:9; 22:17).
Scripture consistently esteems the worth of women and sets the standard for how we are to view them.
Throughout History
History also shows examples of those who courageously followed God by faith even when their efforts went unrewarded. For a woman’s worth is determined in the eyes of God, not man.
Consider missionaries like Amy Carmichael and Lottie Moon.
Consider martyrs like Perpetua of Carthage and Lucia of Syracuse.
Consider mothers like Augustine’s Monica or wives like Katie Luther.
Consider founders like Margaret Fell Fox or Catherine Booth.
Consider hymn writers like Fanny Crosby or activists like Hannah More.
Consider Christian women both ancient and modern, from different regions of the globe.
Then, read authors such as Marilynne Robinson, Flannery O’Connor, or Joni Eareckson Tada, who describe the Christian faith from their unique perspective. Women allowing their readers to gain a fuller picture of God’s likeness and his glory.
In Ministry
We also celebrate the worth of women who serve in ministry. And the church commits to training up each member, man or woman, according to their gifting (Eph 4:11–12).
The Bible accords to women special honor. It calls a husband to love his own wife with sacrificial, servant-hearted ministry (Eph 5:25–33). It calls for men to value women in the way that God himself esteems them. Children are to obey their mothers just as they obey their fathers and listen to instruction (Exod 20:12; Prov 1:8; 6:20).
The Bible also keeps appropriate distinctions. Men and women are designed by God as equal in value, but distinct in role. Husband and wife serve different functions within the family, while father and mother each offer different strengths (1 Thess 2:7, 11–12). God also appoints men and women to different roles within the church (1 Tim 2:12). Yet these appropriate distinctions do not diminish a woman’s worth. Instead, they elevate the way that God uniquely made her.
Lastly, the Bible affirms the spiritual equality between male and female (Gal 3:28). In both the Old and New Testaments, women were never excluded from God’s chosen people. They participated freely in the feasts and festivals and times of public worship (e.g., Deut 16:14; Neh 8:2–3). They were not required to be silent or to hide their faces from sight. All throughout Scripture, women remained essential and necessary members of Christ’s larger body. And wherever the gospel has been spread, the worth of women has been rightly elevated.
So, let us gratefully remember the worthy women in our lives: mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, grandmas and great grandmas, step-moms,church aunties, and the rest. Every good gift we have received comes down from our Father in heaven – women included (Jas 1:17).
For All Eternity
A woman’s worth is grounded in creation as an image-bearer. It is partly obscured by the fall whenever sin prevents us from seeing God’s likeness. Yet God has redeemed each blood-bought daughter through the cross of Christ. He forgives her sin and restores her to his family. She will then rejoice for all eternity when she meets her Savior face-to-face to be glorified in his likeness (2 Cor 3:18).
Tom Sugimura - New Life Church - Woodland Hills, California
[1] Some translations describe her as “outstanding among the apostles.”
