Much has been said in recent days regarding the Republican vice-presidential nomination of Sarah Palin. Many women, including Palin herself, herald the nomination as a great step for women and for women's rights. The proverbial glass ceiling is beginning to shatter, they proclaim, and this will lead to newer and greater opportunities for women to wield authority and influence the world.
I will not, in this post, address the unbiblical nature of Sarah Palin's bid for the vice presidency. This post is not a polemic for the Biblical qualifications of authority in family, church, and state. Rather, this is a testimony of three women who will, I believe, have much greater influence for the kingdom of God than Sarah Palin will.
1) The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. (Proverbs 31:11-12)
My mother has been a faithful wife to my father for the past 28 years. In 1980, she vowed to stand by my dad in sickness and in health, in wealth or in poverty. She vowed to remain faithful to him until death. In an age of marital breakdown, my parents have displayed the opposite.
Likewise, my two sisters have rejected cultural norms and shown remarkable faithfulness to my father and his vision for our family. They have heeded his wisdom, and shown hearts of service to him and to the rest of the family.
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, seeks to please John McCain and do him good.
2) She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. (Proverbs 31:13-24)
Never was there a more finer picture of godly feminine industry than this. This is what I am looking for in my future wife. This is what my mom and sister exhibit abundantly. Cultural norms dictate that women are not fulfilled at home; they are not expressing their full potential when working on "house stuff." Cultural norms says that women need to get out into the workplace and establish an independent career divorced from family.
This is in direct contradiction to Scripture.
Proverbs 31 lays out this panoramic view of what a godly woman should do with her time. A woman's work is centered first and foremost in the home. Look at what the Proverbs 31 woman does: seeks cloth, works with willing hands, brings in food, rises in the night to provide food, looks at property and buys it, plants vineyards, exercises, knows her business accounts, weaves, gives to the poor, makes clothing and other household fabricware, and sells garments.
This is absolutely amazing. I work a full-time job and do near full-time schoolwork; it pales in comparison to the industry pictured by this woman. My mom and sisters easily match this picture.
All three of them can cook a full-course, nutritious meal. Hannah planted a garden and not only provides food for the table in the form of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, squash, green beans and corn, but also brightens the home with flowers grown from the garden. Sarah knits and sews and quilts, and knits, and sews, and quilts, and crochets. Her room is chock full of stuff that she has made for her future home. She also throws in a meal or two every week and decorates wedding cakes.
Mom rises while it is still night and provides posts for her blog. :)
A women who has influence for the kingdom of God is a woman who works. And not only that, but her work is centered in the home. Her work strengthens the home and nurtures the home. The goal of her work, the fruit of her work, is a satisfied home.
In contrast to this, Sarah Palin's work is not for the furtherance of her home, but rather for the campaign of John McCain. Her work is dedicated to him, and if she does indeed become vice-president, her work will be dedicated to making his administration successful. What a travesty!
Another point I want to bring out is that the industry of the Proverbs 31 woman elevates her husband, and makes her husband to be respected in the land. Of course, one could argue that Sarah Palin would make her husband famous and make Todd Palin be "First Dude" in the gates of the land, but that isn't what the passage is saying. When I look at my mom and sisters, I see not only their wisdom, I also see the wisdom of my father. I see his dedicated teaching coming out in their lives. People see the maturity and character of the women in our family and compliment my parents. My parents gain more respect because of the example of my sisters. Ultimately, the Lord is honored.
3)Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:25-29)
Not only is an influential woman faithful to her family and centers her work around her family, she shows godly wisdom to her family. This wisdom can be example of character ("strength and dignity") or explicit instruction ("Opens her mouth with wisdom", "kindness is on her tongue"). This woman teaches and teaches well. Indeed, her children and husband take note of her wisdom and publicly proclaim it.
This is certainly representative of my mom. She was an avid homeschooling mom who taught four kids for a total of 16 years. She has poured her heart and life into us and has taught us much. Mom, Hannah, and Sarah all display strength and dignity. They are respectable women of God who derive their strength of character from the word of God.
From listening to the speeches of Sarah Palin, she does not convey strength, dignity, or wisdom to me. She is steeped in the ideals of feminism, displays a rather snide attitude when speaking, and is clearly ready to largely abandon her family for the rigors of political office.
God more often than not chooses everyday people to further His plan and bring about the salvation of others. Paul says he does not choose many mighty, noble or world wise people. It is women like my mom and sisters who quietly and consistently follow the Lord's will and adhere to His principles that truly influence the world. Women of character raise sons and daughters of character, who in turn raise up further generations for the glory of God. Politicians like Sarah Palin have a limited, temporal influence on the world. Godly women like my mother and sisters have a lasting, spiritual blessing on many and allow God to use them to bring a multitude of people to Christ.
I was able to accost Voddie Baucham right when he was heading out to catch a flight home. With trepidation I approached him and asked if I could interview him. He graciously agreed! 
Paul Renfro, a co-elder with Voddie Baucham, graciously assented to being interviewed. He was a tall man (you can note the disparity in our respective heights), and I enjoyed listening to his topics on calling fathers to lead. One of his favorite topics was Voddie Baucham's message on family evangelism, to which I alluded in my introductory post.
I chatted with Mr. Jason Dohm (and his daughter :)). I was unable to attend any of Mr. Dohm's topics, but I was able to listen to him when Dad, Hannah, and I went to the church planter's symposium in Wake Forest this past summer. He has a pleasant personality and is well-rooted in Scripture. With me is my friend, Ben Wagner, part of my church family. Both of us enjoyed talking with the speakers.
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