Page 3 - January 2025 - Truth & Tidings

n some ways, they were just as ordi- of the Most High, the Son of God (Luk
nary as the men called by our Lord 1:32,35). As the years passed, she would
IJesus. They were housekeepers, tent- come to learn increasingly to “do whatever
makers, merchants, seamstresses, servants. he tells you” (Joh 2:5 ESV). Among His
But in other ways, the female followers last followers mentioned in Scripture was
of the Savior were extraordinary. Sure, another woman with that same servant
they had their share of failings, as we all heart – Phoebe, “a servant of the church
do, questioning the Lord’s decisions and at Cenchreae,” who, Paul says, had been
getting preoccupied and frustrated in a great help to many, including him. The
their service for Him. Yet they had great New Testament is filled with the testimony
moments when their testimony for Christ of remarkable women of faith, and we must
beamed. not overlook the example they are to both
Mary of Bethany received words of men and women, just as Priscilla (along
commendation from the Lord twice: once with Aquila) was to the budding preacher
when she “chose the good part” of learn- Apollos.
ing at His feet, the other when His feet and The previous single-themed issue of
head received her gift of devotion – an act Truth & Tidings was entitled “The Chosen,” 1
Jesus called “a beautiful thing,” an excep- where we explored the lives of the apostles
tional offering worth a year’s wages. And who left an indelible mark upon our world.
how must the Savior’s heart have filled And although Jesus did not call women
with joy to see crowds coming to faith in to be apostles, those who followed Him,
Him from a Samaritan town because the whose stories are recorded for us in Scrip-
woman He met at Jacob’s well boldly and ture, continue to shape His Church and the
enthusiastically bore witness of His saving world the Church is called to reach. The
power. Women were the last at Christ’s secret of their influence is the same as that
cross and the first at His tomb. Meanwhile, of the men – not the power of their wealth,
His male followers had abandoned Him, creativity, intelligence or even femininity,
cowering in fear. They even scoffed at the but the power of the Holy Spirit who filled
resurrection report the women brought to them, led them and used them for the glory
them. We must not forget about Priscilla, of the One who saved them. We invite you
who, along with her husband, risked her to read on and learn lasting lessons from
life for the apostle Paul and the gospel he these female followers of our Lord, some
preached (Rom 16:3-4). Yes, the record of who accompanied Him during His earthly
Scripture shows the sterling commitment ministry, others who came to know Him as
of these women called to follow and serve the gospel reached their cities and towns.
the Savior. May their number continue to increase for
His first follower was the woman who His name’s sake.
gave birth to Him, as she knew from the
beginning who He truly was – the Son 1 See the September 2024 edition.

TruthandTidings.com I January 2025 3 3