Friday, April 12, 2013
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Rosie the Riveter! That's a sweet, fragile name for a lady, huh? How would you like to go out on a date with somebody called Rosie the Riveter? Actually, Rosie was a symbol during WWII. She was a symbol of the millions of women who left their homes to go to work in America's factories.
Well, look! So many of the men were at war, and help was desperately needed in our plants and factories. And so, women went to war in machine shops, assembly lines, defense plants, and in jobs that were usually reserved for men. They were kind of symbolized by old Rosie. Now, that may have started a trend, but Rosie the Riveter wasn't totally a new idea. In fact, women have been involved in major construction for centuries.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The World's Best Builders are Women."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Peter chapter 3. I'm going to read about those people in the construction business; those women that are great builders. It talks about one of them in 1 Peter 3:5-6. It goes back into the life of Sarah, a great builder. Here's what it says, "This is the way the holy women of the past, who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear."
Now, this passage is in the context of how to win over your husband spiritually; particularly if you happen to be married to an unbelieving husband and you believe in Christ. But I think it goes beyond that to talk about how a woman can literally change the man she lives with. Now, Abraham and Sarah we know had their difficult moments, but ultimately Abraham became one of the most respected leaders in the world of his time. And he's still revered by the three great religions of the world.
But behind the scenes was a builder, and her name was Sarah. And she kept building him up as her leader, and he grew to be the leader of many. I think this scripture suggests, as many others do, the awesome power that a woman has to make a man feel very significant or very insignificant. That ability to build a man uses one power tool. It's not a saw; it's not a drill. The power tool in a woman's tool kit to build a man is praise. A man tends to become what his wife calls him. That's a scary thought isn't it?
If she picks on what he isn't, he'll never grow. If she praises what he is, he'll become that even more. If a man in your life has a weakness, and I'm sure he has many, look for those times when he shows a little progress in that area, and then build him up even if it's just a little progress. Men change slowly, and only when they feel secure enough to take a risk. And a women's acceptance, and praise, and encouragement can give a guy enough confidence to change.
We're told by social scientists that for every one negative or criticism we get, we need seven positives to bring us back to zero. I wonder what the ratio is between you and the man in your life with praise to criticism. If you're a mother, a sister, a girlfriend, especially a wife, be in the construction business. Don't let frustration drive you into the demolition business, finishing off an already damaged man.
Use that powerful tool of praise to construct a more Christ-like man. Whether or not women know what to do with a hammer or a saw, they sure are the world's best builders.