Women’s Day and Joanna, the Good Steward

Every March 8 we celebrate International Women’s Day, an annual celebration dedicated to all women throughout the world. This year’s theme, as announced by UNWomen.org is ““Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.” Said theme as announced celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, UN Women states that women stand at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The crisis has highlighted both the centrality of their contributions and the disproportionate burdens that women carry.

Likewise, UN Women shared that women leaders and women’s organizations have demonstrated their skills, knowledge and networks to effectively lead in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Today there is more acceptance than ever before that women bring different experiences, perspectives and skills to the table, and make irreplaceable contributions to decisions, policies and laws that work better for all.

Indeed, let us salute all women of today who is trying their best to live in the new normal as they deal with the pandemic.

On another note, let us take a look at Joanna who is known in the Bible as the wife of Chuza and steward to Herod Antipas households. She was also being listed as one of the women who “had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities” who accompanied Jesus and the Apostles, and “provided for Him out of their own means” (Luke 8:2–3).

With that, it can be said that Joanna’s life was transformed by Jesus. From being a good steward of Herod’s household then to being one of Jesus follower after being healed who supports Jesus works economically.

Also, Joanna is named among the women mentioned in Luke 24:10, who, along with Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, took spices to Jesus’ tomb and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty.

With that, may we be a good steward liked Joanna in our households or offices. Whether in terms of managing big or small resources, let us then be prudent. Moreover, may we share our blessings to others, for a good cause and to those who need it most.

Am sharing with you below, a prayer based on A Virtuous Woman — Proverbs 31:10, 26 that was posted on alishagratehouse.com

Father, help me to be a capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman – faithful, diligent, generous and spiritually strong. May the law of love and kindness always be in my heart and on my lips. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“Here’s to strong women: may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.” – Unknown