SUNDAY THOUGHTS: GIRLS, RULE.

The other day, the following message was posted on my Facebook page:

"I just heard Beyonce's "Run the World (Girls)". 

The First woman, Eve, that tried to do that, messed things up for all of us. Adam messed up by obeying his wife rather than God and the world has been out of order ever since. Only through Christ, His People, especially the Church, through the Holy Spirit do we have some order in this chaotic, mixed up, hell-bound world. Beyonce is sadly, disgracefully mistaken. That's why I thank God for Godly women like my wife,____, my late mother,_____, and women like you Vanessa and the other godly women of Vision!!!"

I deleted the message. It's VERY difficult to take a compliment that is prefaced by an insult to another person--especially if that person is a stranger. The flattery just...well...falls extremely flat. 

My first thought was, "Now what were YOU doing watching a Beyonce video, Reverend? What exactly did you expect from it, a lesson in Biblical Hermeneutics?"

While I wholeheartedly agree that order is of God, and best achieved by way of his principles, I'm not so eager to bash Beyonce or her new song. It stands to reason that my views about it would be different than the Facebook poster's because I'm not a man. The femininity of a woman is constantly under scrutiny, or is often identified as the motivation, or excuse for some guy's unacceptable, unsolicited, criminal behavior--as opposed to blaming it on his own lack of self-control, missing ethics, and paltry moral fiber.

The Bible contains the biographies of women who engaged in questionable behavior, but God used them for his purposes, nonetheless. If we all knew the WHOLE story of our friends, neighbors and acquaintances, we might be less apt to consider them "godly", and more inclined to thank God for his mercy and grace, and gladly extend it to people whose stories we only learn of courtesy of our TV screens.

Judgment will begin at the House of God. That tells me that Beyonce might have a better chance of a home in Heaven than the pastor who wrote the note. 

Fortunately, one's salvation is predicated on confession of who Jesus is, and belief in what God did through him on behalf of humanity. 

Many are quick to add a lot of conditions and extra qualifications to God's plan, because we can't imagine the depth of God's love for ALL people. We make salvation difficult, and try to make access to God virtually impossible. 

Imagine the thief on the cross, and how he had lived his entire life before encountering Jesus. In an instant, he was redeemed. That tells me there's hope for everyone, and everyone would include Beyonce--and who's to say that she isn't a believer?

We give Eve a bad rap, but she wasn't seeking power. She already ran her world, and had been given the authority to do so. She just didn't know it, apparently. She also wasn't alone in her blunder. Adam proved that he wasn't that bright, either. 

Eve didn't order him to eat, or trick him, and remember, HE was the one to whom God first gave instructions. So just how well did he communicate those instructions to his wife? 

The mistake Eve made, was entertaining the words of one who envied her, and hated God. 

There are a whole lot of crafty individuals around TODAY doing the same thing to women that the serpent did. There are power hungry, too familiar, narcissistic, false prophets misrepresenting the Word of God, and persuading naive, trusting women to make foolish decisions-- and then turning right around and using their pulpits to criticize and ridicule the very women to whom they preach! In Eve's quest to gain wisdom, she did something unwise. She wasn't trying to rule/run the world (the way Satan desired to), she wanted to be like God--and who knows what that meant in her brand new mind? Even if her intentions were honorable, it teaches us that one can have the best of intentions and still be wrong.

Some give Beyonce a bad rap as well, but if nothing else, she is a testament to hard work and perseverance. Her message is in no way literal when it comes to "running". Even God said "Have dominion", but these days, "run" can also be defined in the following ways:

1. Produce something higher in quality

2. Succeed

3. Do things exceptionally

4. Endeavor to be better

There's nothing wrong with ANY of that, as long as it doesn't create unreasonable expectations, or an unhealthy sense of self.

Beyonce is a dancer. I've seen more inappropriate moves, and less clothing displayed by church dance ministries. I don't think there's anything disgraceful about giving a girl confidence--not just in her physical attributes, but her personal, professional, educational, and social potential. I have to admire Beyonce's ability to identify and capitalize on her own strengths, and suggest that other girls and women do the same. Any girl who wants to be like her, can't just stop at a good weave, fit body, expensive clothes, and high heels. One can boast, "Oh, I can do that!", but is one willing to do the work? That's the danger of wanting to be like ANYONE. You don't know their back story. They can be one way in public, and quite another way in private. There are women who only APPEAR to be godly, but please don't follow them home. You'll be sadly disappointed. There's also danger in critiquing another person's artistic work. All we see is the finished product, but we don't see the extent of the time, investment, and sacrifice.

Considering the path Beyonce has taken, the work she has done, and her popularity in the world, it would be no surprise to find that she stands by EVERY word she is saying/singing in her song--and rightly so. When it comes to the standards of the entertainment industry she is a profound success. She never professed to be anything other than what she is--an entertainer.  I can't always say that about the self-professed "godly" people among us.

Eve heard that she could be like God from a creature that Bible itself describes as "more clever, shrewd, and subtle". Does that mean that as women, we should aspire to be snakes so that we are not deceived? No. But it does make an excellent case for knowing the word of God, knowing his voice, and trusting that he knows what's best for us. Eve thought that merely eating a fruit would improve her condition--not to BE God, but be LIKE him. Just as it was foolish for her, it's foolish for any girl or woman to think that being Beyonce, in an instant, is an easy thing. That's why an imitator's only option is to be superficial and inferior. Whether one wants to be like God or Beyonce, or both, it takes work.

There's also a bit of sarcasm in her song, as well as the suggestion to be versatile. I hear, "Be feminine, nurturing, independent, and powerful. Embrace education AND a loving, committed relationship with a man, and motherhood. Aspire to be employed, have the means to support oneself, AND be able to purchase what one likes with one's OWN money. I don't hear, "You are a god", I hear "Be strong; be responsible. Have healthy self-worth".

I don't think the song is making any statement that's dangerous to culture or morals. It's not threatening to the authority of a man, nor should it be. If a man is threatened by ANY woman, it seems to me that the proverbial virtuous woman (with HER bad, multi-tasking self), is more of a threat than any contemporary woman like Beyonce could ever be.

I saw portions of the video. Beyonce is an entertainer, not a prophet, intellectual, or politician, although, if you look at the definition of a philosopher, she certainly is one.  She's not advocating prostitution, drunkenness, drug use, or Satan worship. She is a businesswoman and has done well in her field. She is an artist communicating feelings, ideas, moods and experiences, through song and dance--not starting a religious movement. At no time does she deem herself the epitome of godliness, so I tend to respect her a lot more than some people who self-righteously hail themselves as the pillars of morality. We should ALL do our respective jobs as well as she does hers! If our daughters are looking to her for guidance and instruction, or lessons in womanhood, it's our fault, not hers. If we are competing with Beyonce for the affection and admiration of our daughters, and condemning her because she has their attention, that TOO, is our fault.

Perhaps there ARE women who have adopted Beyonce's new song as an anthem, much in the same way women have proudly sung Peggy Lee's "I'm A Woman", Dolly Parton's "9 to 5", Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman", or Chaka's "I'm Every Woman". The lyrics aren't particularly deep and profound, and there aren't any hidden conspiratorial messages.

Women in every generation, for whatever understandable reason, need to feel empowered--even if in their own minds, and contrary to abusive, seemingly hopeless, or menial situations. If Beyonce's repetitive song empowers even ONE girl to get up, get moving, rediscover her dreams, walk away from a loser/user, and reach her true potential, then more power to her. Perhaps the method she used to deliver the message wouldn't be fitting for Sunday morning, but I don't know ANY responsible mother who HASN'T told her daughter that she should be smart, feminine, independent, and financially responsible. What mother hasn't told her daughter that she is capable of achieving her goals, is strong, intelligent, great, worthy, valuable, deserving of the love, respect and care of a good man, an education, AND a wholesome family life?

Some of the most ungodly people dress to fool the public. Some of the most mixed up, hell-bound, disorderly places in the world are NOT the stages on which Beyonce performs, but religious institutions where, what some women and men do, say, and wear, in the name of the Lord, make Beyonce look like Mother Teresa.

As a mother of a daughter, I don't find the song offensive, or threatening to contradict or overshadow any responsible mother's message to her daughter. Girls, whether they are from Houston or not, need all the encouragement they can get. So many women are broken, wounded, feeling rejected, demeaned, defeated, limited, weak, and overwhelmed.

While I prefer to cling to the knowledge that I am the apple of God's eye, fearfully and wonderfully made, and can do all things through Christ, Beyonce's catchy cry in her song just might be the shot in the arm someone needs to get up, ignore naysayers, shake off discouraging words, reject negative pronouncements, and get moving toward abandoned goals and dreams. She is a performer. The person responsible for teaching, nurturing, modeling, and instilling positive ideals in your daughter(s) is you.

I'd like to think that God can use anyone, and anything.