As women struggle to understand their place in modern society, many look to the scriptures for role models. In holy writ they find that sacred phases of womanhood were taught to Eve and her daughters through the ages.
Infrequent accounts of women are thinly scattered in the gospels. Although sparse, Jesus used the term of woman, wife, daughter and maiden with respect. Often His respect for womanhood was illustrated in His parables.The Old Testament gives only brief vignettes and insightful glimpses into the lives of exemplary women, even though there is an abundance of references to female terms.
Queen Esther displayed courage to be willing to sacrifice her life to save her people. (Esther 4:16.)
Mordecai, the uncle of Esther, posed a question that all women may ponder, "Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14.) If we "liken all scriptures unto us," from these biblical stories we can learn that a woman needs to understand the Plan of Salvation, extend watchcare to family members, accept the God of Israel, and courageously defend the righteous choice. (1 Ne. 19:23.)
For our modern era, when many alternative voices call to women, the positive qualities exemplified by women through scriptural writings are needed. The adversary is real and his luciferic tangles pull women from a righteous course. Women, like men, need to put on the armor of God. (Eph. 6:11.) Women need to listen to the still, small voice that will guide them safely to their quest for eternal life.
Modern women, like all women in ages past, need the Exemplar, not just a role model. The Exemplar is Jesus Christ. He beckons us to be "even as I am" (3 Ne. 27:27) and "follow me." (Matt. 4:19.) For women as well as for men, to model or pattern our lives after anyone but the Savior, the Son of God, is to miss the mark.
