LITTLE VOICES
The preacher’s wife. Who is she to the congregation? Her husband stands before God’s people and addresses them authoritatively, but she often shies away from any kind of public speaking. Everyone knows—or thinks they know—all about him: his voice, his wardrobe, his personality. They notice his favorite foods (and fix them for potlucks) and comment when he gets his hair cut. Do they know or notice things about her? He is gifted with words and loved by those he visits. She sometimes feels inadequate and unknown next to him. She may be busy with their children, or occupied by work outside the home, or caring for an aging parent. Members don’t know her as well, and she feels like she has little visibility, little influence, and a little voice.
Aside from the fact that preachers’ wives may need to recognizethat their feelings and perceptions could be wrong (a topic for another day,) it would be good to remember some “little voices” in scripture. There was once a little Israelite girl who was captured and carried away into captivity. She served the wife of a powerful, respected commander of the army of the king of Syria, but he was a leper. Her words carried all the way to the king of Israel and to God’s prophet, Elisha, whose advice led tothe healing of this mighty man (2 Kings 5). What if she hadn’t used her little voice? There were midwives in Egypt, Shiphrah and Puah, who feared the Lord rather than the king of Egypt (Exodus 1:15-17) and helped to save Israelite baby boys, which in turn helped the nation of Israel to multiply and grow strong. There was an Egyptian handmaid, Hagar, whose mistress, Sarai, used her to achieve her own dream, but when it went awry, this handmaid was treated harshly and ran away. But God remembered her and cared for her, and she said, “You are a God who sees,” (Gen. 16:13).
When we feel invisible, small, and without a voice, we need to remember that God will still use us in mighty ways, if we are willing. Though we may feel our voices are small, we can have open hearts and willing hands and obedient lives that glorify God. He sees us!
Carla Moore, carmoore68@gmail.com, Dripping Springs, TX
