Their Comfort Isn’t Your Calling

Criticized for being too loud or too much? Answer this for me? Why is it that women’s strong, anointed voices get the side eye, but no one thinks twice when the fire alarm is what saves a burning building?

You and I are all too familiar with a world that loves what your gifting offers but would rather you produce your work behind the scenes, quietly, stepping into supportive shoes. I have found that people want your calling, but tucked away in a corner, not because that’s where the Lord is guiding for you to be positioned, but because that is where their comfort levels would prefer you be. The truth is, some of you are called to public authority and leadership, and it’s significant not to downplay your role to soothe someone else’s insecurities or misinterpretations.    

Nowhere in Judges 4-5 do you find a text message from Deborah to her male counterparts that says, “Sorry for my harsh tone when speaking to Barak earlier. My emotions can get the best of me sometimes.” We have the Israelites chasing other gods, God handing them over to an oppressive king, and then God raising up a woman to bring order and clarity back to the land. And when faced with the immediate and unexpected responsibility of going to war with Barak, her refusal to fold is the perfect example of what it means to wear a heavy, but holy, mantle publicly, unapologetically, and authoritatively in spite of others’ opinions. And there might be some who may want to naively explain God’s use of Deborah as some kind of final resort because of the lack of obedient male judges. But Deborah’s resume would impress any of today’s hiring church committees: prophetess, judge, “mother of Israel,” and military strategist. She would be overqualified for most religious organization positions posted on any job site today.

The moral of today’s story then? Your authority doesn’t need to be followed by an apology just so it’s accepted. Focus less on the apology and more on the alignment. Jesus said, “All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go…” (Matthew 28:18-20) It doesn’t say go if they accept you. Or go if they say you can. Or go if they accept women in those roles. He said go. I love how Deborah was “that woman” while just sitting under this palm tree, judging publicly, out in the open. (Judges 4:5) God wasn’t asking her to go in the back and hide while she operates within her giftings. No, God found her there instead. Out in plain sight.

So go ahead and be that fire alarm that saves lives rather than that scented candle in the corner that blends into the bland decor.