How can modern Christian woman dance?
The many gains made by you in our culture in the last 50 years haven’t lifted you up into the dance you were created for—which down deep you long for.
Instead of a dance, a better metaphor would be a fashion runway—under the judging eyes of critical buyers. Back in 2002, Naomi Wolf, in her bestseller “The Beauty Myth” decries a conspiracy of culture against womanhood which results in a standard of beauty that is the sole measurement of a woman’s value. In four short years 1968-1972, the number of diet-related articles in Vogue rose 70 percent. One reviewer wrote,
We are bombarded today with images of the "perfect" woman. She is tall and willowy, weighing at least 20% less than what her height requires. She rarely looks older than 25, has no visible flaws on her skin, and her hair and clothes are always immaculate. One "perfect woman" looks pretty much like the next; she is essentially not human, interchangeable and disposable. In fact, quite often she is presented in bits and pieces like a mannequin- -a torso, some legs, a shapely fanny--completing the assembly- line metaphor. Our culture judges women, and women judge themselves, against this standard. We forget that "beauty pornography," as Wolf calls it, pictures underweight models that are usually between 15-20 years old. We never see a picture of a woman who is not wearing makeup applied by an artist, hair professionally coiffed, clothes professionally designed or chosen. Any natural flaws or wrinkles in her skin are airbrushed out…These are the pictures they show us of the "average woman." Yea, right!
That was over 20 years ago! What’s changed? Not much at all.
Women—do you feel the imperialism of image? Beauty pornography? The beauty myth? Where does it leave your soul? Are you really free to dance? Woman, must you hide behind make-up? Where is the energy to dance.
Good news! The Bible proclaims a dance for all women. Deborah danced. Jochabed, Zipporah, and Jael all danced wildly. They had a strange sense of freedom, wholeness, and value that was not at all dependent upon make-up, appearance, wearing this or that clothes, not even social status—not even marriage status. They were strangely able to trust in God—not only for their well-being but for their glory.
If you look at a couple engaged in a romantic slow dance—body against body, eyes closed—being swept away with each other as they move across the floor—would anyone describe the energy between them as ‘submission’? Of course not—it is a dance. The Holy Spirit in you would have you rest in the dance that he is now leading. It is hard to hear the music and feel the rhythm at times, but he has the power to draw you in.
In my weekly podcast, Gospel Rant, I am going through the Song of Songs. I call it Kisses of God. The Song of Songs is the greatest gospel presentation in the Old Testament. It is about the Dance between God and his people. It’s the good stuff. Check it out.
Make sure you click ‘follow’ and sign up on the mailing list at gospelrant.com. I will send you a free gift. Get the word out to a couple of other women. They will thank you.
It is time to enter the dance. Take heart, child of God.
