Spotlight on the Crew — Godly Role Models for Girls

{This week’s Spotlight on the Crew article is brought to you from Sara, at  Embracing Destiny.

 

I knew the moment would come eventually, but I wasn’t expecting it so soon.

“Mama, why is that lady in her underwear?”

Big Sis, age 6 at the time, posed the question.  The “lady” she meant was on the cover of a magazine at the checkout line of the grocery store.  Of course, the magazine display at the checkout is unavoidable.  Why is that?  Why does a grocery store push these magazines when you’re just there to buy food for your family?  Why are there half-naked women all over the covers?  What exactly are these magazines selling or promoting?  How can a mom shield her children from the racy pictures and headlines on them?  How do I teach my daughters to be modest, that these displays are indecent, when they are made such a matter-of-fact, unavoidable part of doing something as necessary as grocery shopping?  Those were the questions running through my own mind.  Unfortunately, I had no good answers, and certainly none appropriate for an innocent 6 year old.

 

Whether it’s Nickelodeon, Hollywood, or the headline news, bad examples are abundant.  How can we counterbalance the constant bombardment of these images against the Biblical standard of decency and modesty?  I think one of the most important things we can do is not just to point out what is wrong, but to give them examples of what is right.  It’s not easy to find Godly role models in our culture today, but I have been working on the following plan of action with my daughters:

 

First and foremost, prayer must be at the heart of guiding them.  I need to pray for their safety and protection both physically and spiritually.  There is a lot out there that can damage a girl emotionally and I need to protect them through prayer from these dangers.  That also means praying for the protection and guidance of their future husbands!  Unfortunately, the statistics aren’t good for them finding husbands who haven’t been exposed to sexual images or remained pure until marriage.  I want them to find men who will treasure them above rubies!

 

Secondly, I need to be a positive example for my girls.  They are looking to me all the time to learn what it means to be a Godly woman.  It’s a tall order, but I must guard my heart and mind against worldly influences.  This means choosing wisely when it comes to the books I read, the entertainment I watch, the music I listen to, the way I dress, and the way I spend my time in general.  They need to see me pray and read my Bible.  When everything in pop culture shows them otherwise, I must be a woman after God’s own heart so that my daughters can learn to do the same.

 

Since we homeschool, I need to consider these things as I teach them in every subject.  I can do this by focusing on positive female role models throughout history.  For instance, we have a series of books (Lightkeepers by Irene Howat) about girls who have changed the world by having faith and using their God-given talents.  There are stories about missionaries like Gladys Aylward and Mary Slessor, as well as more recent examples like Joni Eareckson Tada.  Even when studying history, it’s important to make the connection between faith and the heroic acts of Corrie Ten Boom or Harriet Tubman.  There are examples of such women from scientists to writers and more.

 

Teach them about women in the Bible’s Hall of Faith.  Women like Sarah, Ruth, Esther, Mary, and so many more are prime examples of Godly role models straight from His word.  God does not discriminate on the basis of gender, nor does He objectify women the way our society does today.  We are currently working on a unit study from Golden Prairie Press about women heroes of the Bible, which covers this very topic.

 

Keep the lines of communication open.  When a bad example crops up, be ready to talk about it at an age-appropriate level.  Discuss how peer pressure can affect choices, how to find modest clothes when shopping, and what books your daughter is reading.  Whenever you hear about or read about a Godly role model, talk about it together.  A recent example might be an Olympic athlete who talks openly about her faith and gives the glory to God.  Even though the bad out there seems to outweigh the good, there are shining examples left if you search for them.  They just don’t tend to get the media coverage.  I know I often cite my own grandma as an example.  Being a Godly role model doesn’t have to involve fame.  Sometimes it’s those quiet acts of everyday faith and courage that become the best examples.

 

This is no time to be passive.  There is a battle being waged in the media and our culture at large.  Our daughters’ hearts and minds are at stake, so let’s all work on being the Godly role models we want them to see.

 

 

Sara is a mom of three girls (10, 5, and 3) and wife to Dave for 17 years. She encourages the big dreams of little girls daily.  Sara has traded in her NOW membership card for Proverbs 31, but still believes that women are called to use their God-given talents to embrace their destiny as daughters of the King.  That means we all get to be a Princess, ladies! Sara blogs at Embracing Destiny.