Heroines of Faithfulness

Women's Ministries Emphasis Day was celebrated worldwide on June 11, 2022. The theme "Heroines of faithfulness" considered the story of two women in the Bible who faced the wrath of a wicked king, refusing to compromise their faith in God. These were Shiphra and Puah, two extraordinary daughters of God who have little place in the biblical narrative; in fact, they are mentioned only in the few verses of Exodus 1:15-21, yet they left a legacy of faithfulness and blessing for all of us in the sacred pages.
Churches in Bari, Altamura, Cassano delle Murge, and Rossano Calabro in southern Italy celebrated Women’s Ministries Emphasis Day on various Sabbaths during the month of July. They highlighted the courage and determination of these two "heroines of faithfulness" who based their lives on the principle also contained in Acts 5:29, "We must obey God rather than men." The churches were able to reflect on how we should behave when obeying God means conflicting with human laws; what happens when we justify siding with the majority, but conscience tells us to make a better choice; about what happens when advocating for justice becomes the only test of faith.
In the world in which we live, we might be tempted to compromise our faith to please others; we may find ourselves in a situation where we are asked to do something ethically wrong, and we fear that we will lose our jobs or our relationships if we do not do it. The story of Shiphra and Puah shows that in life we have a choice in every circumstance. It is incorrect to think that we do not have a choice and to assume that whatever is imposed on us, good or bad, is inevitable. Life is about choices and we are responsible for our choices. The choice of these two women taught us that God protects and blesses those who stand up for what is right. Each of us, daily, is faced with a choice. Will we conform at the cost of compromising our convictions, or will we stand firm on God's will? Let each of us decide to remain firmly anchored to the Rock, never turning left or right, but always keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.
As reported by St. Abiusi, Women's Ministries liaison for the Southern field