Writing about women has not been easy.  I have had to wade through one zillion men's names--the Jews kept meticulous records of who "begat" whom.  And of course, the only "begats" were of which man begat which son.  You would think that all those baby boys were "begat" by the men!!!  But for every son, you and I know that there was a mother who raised him.  She was the main "begatter."

Finally, after slogging through Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, looking for the names of women among all the "begats," I came to a shining example of woman-hood that defies all the rhetoric being espoused today by some of the more rigid churches among us--who would say that women should not speak, or be heard, or have a place of prominence or decision-making in the church.  This story about this woman lets us know what God had to say about that.

Her name is Deborah. "And Deborah, a prophetess...she judged Israel at that time.  She held court under a palm tree, halfway between two large cities in mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment."  God chose her.  She had total power in decision making when there were disputes.  And God spoke directly to her, (not through a man) and told her to go to war.

So she called the head of her troops, a man named Barak, and told him that God was authorizing him to defeat king Jabin's army.  "God will deliver him into your hand."  But Barak was frightened, and refused to go unless Deborah went with him. "If you go with me, I will go.  But if you will not go with me, then I will not go."  The greatest warrior in Israel wanted a woman to go with him!!

She answered him and said, "I will go, but you will not get the glory of victory.  God will deliver Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army to me, into the hand of a woman."  So she led them into battle.  Which was won, just as God had said.  And when the battle was over, Deborah stood before the troops and the people and began to sing, "I, even I, will sing praise to the Lord...The people of the villages were defeated.  I, Deborah arose...a mother in Israel."

A prophet, a judge over a nation, a mighty warrior, a wife and a mother.  She had it all.  With God's blessing.  You can't tell me that women aren't called by God--to do whatever he calls them to do.  St. Paul said, "There is neither...male nor female.  You are all one in Christ."  I'll buy that.