Some of you may know the song “Sit Still, Look Pretty” by new artist Daya. Just like many anthems before it (Beyoncé’s Who Run the World and Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun) this song celebrates the role of the woman as an independent player in the game called life.
As a woman, I sometimes find myself having to justify some of the decisions I make. We have been socially conditioned to believe that we should act in a certain way; dress in a certain way; laugh in a certain way. When I was in high school, one of my female friends laughed at a joke that one of our male teachers told the class. He actually called her out for this, by saying the following:
“That is a very ugly laugh for a girl. Girls should not laugh like that”.
How, exactly, should a girl laugh then?
I am not trying to make men feel inferior by raising up women. I am simply doing that: raising up women. As women, we need to remember that we have been called for such a time as this. We need to rise up and take our place in the world – as women created by God, each of us with a unique purpose. Here are some practical ways in which we can do that:
Step up and acknowledge your worth
You are only as good as you believe you are. Isn’t it time we stopped devaluing ourselves and putting ourselves, and each other, down? We have been created to be daughters, mothers and sisters of the Most High, and what a shame it would be to not acknowledge the great value we have been given. Your worth comes from God, and because He loves you, He has already created you worthy.
Stop allowing your picture to be painted by someone else (let God paint yours!)
You’re an artist and your life is the canvas. You do not need to look at other pictures or people for inspiration. You have been called to go somewhere and be someone, and when you give your picture to God and let Him take the lead, you will find yourself at the hand of a master. Find your inspiration from Him.
Your womanhood is not socially constructed
Your womanhood is God-given, and you are unique. No one has to tell you how to be a “proper” woman. God has already defined your womanhood and said that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made”(Psalm 139:14).
So next time you feel like you have to justify your position as a strong, independent woman, just remember: “My existence as a woman has nothing to do with anyone and everything to do with who God made me to be.”
So blast that Daya tune, dance a little, and remember that you are a woman chosen by your Creator, so be proud!