Raised Up And Included

“You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.”

Luke 7:44–45

I’m always struck by the number of women Jesus encountered in the Gospels. Some supported His ministry out of their own means (Luke 8:3). Others benefited from His ministry of healing and deliverance. And it was women to whom He first appeared after He was resurrected (Luke 24:1–10).

Jesus valued women—then and now. Despite the culture of the time, He set an example and gave women opportunities to prosper and to take an active part in His ministry. In His day, women were regarded as inferior to men, always accompanied by a father or husband, doubly veiled in public, and forbidden to speak to male strangers. Despite such social norms, Jesus refused to exclude women from His life and ministry. He always treated them with the same kind of honor He extended to men. And He extends that love and respect to you today. Regardless of how others have treated you, Jesus always honors you, esteems you, and values you—whether you’re a man or a woman.

Let His example heal your heart, encourage you, and show you how to treat others.

Holy Spirit, please help the truth of Jesus’ unconditional love for me penetrate my heart, so I can rest in knowing how valuable I am.