I love a strong female lead as much as the next gal. But I confess that lately I’ve started to zone out whenever the elf queen, secret agent, or hero assassin begins kicking down doors and taking names. Incredible fight choreographers and highly specialized stunt women make scenes like this possible. Strong role models are valuable for young girls. It’s just that leading armies and defying supervillains isn’t a complete picture of bravery.
Alastair Roberts first caused me to consider this idea, and now the question keeps buzzing around in different forms. Why is physical dominance our measure for brave women? Why is heroism reserved for the person in charge—or the person with the weapon? Why aren’t there more stories that honor daring in the ordinary?
As modern leading ladies lose their luster, women in the Bible keep me on the edge of my seat. They’re ordinary and flawed, blessed and suffering. Many are tasked with difficult choices that change the course of nations and generations. Participating in the work God calls them to often looks backward and upside down from their cultural vantage point. It requires these women to take a leap of faith. God calls them to be brave, and it can look different than we might expect.
Defining Moments
I’m no cinematographer, but if I had to frame the scenes in the book of Judges with Deborah and Jael, they would be complex and conversational. The action doesn’t center on sweeping battle scenes but instead unfolds under trees and inside tents. Without downplaying the ferocity of assassination by tent peg, I’d argue that feats of strength are not their only—or even most impressive—acts of courage.
Deborah’s leadership over the nation of Israel is wonderfully collaborative (Judg. 4:4–10). When she sees Barak stalling in response to the Lord’s command to go into battle, she doesn’t push him aside and take over amid his failure. Instead, she offers a game plan and encourages him to do the job she knows he’s qualified to do.
But her counsel is more than just giving her two cents before she turns back to her loom. At Barak’s request, Deborah goes out with the troops into battle, putting her life at risk to be available for ongoing support. Her military strategy is to let Barak do what he does well as a soldier and commander, while she also brings her expertise to the table. It makes sense, then, why Deborah calls herself a “mother in Israel” (Judg. 5:7) Just like a biological mother, her significant influence is not without the risk of bodily harm (I’m willing to bet she even carried a sword), but her bravery isn’t the self-glorification of a lone ranger. Deborah works together with Barak, courageously following God to care for her people, to preserve the family.
Her bravery isn’t the self-glorification of a lone ranger.
Esther is another powerful woman in the family of God. Her battle takes place not in fields or tents but in the king’s court (Est. 5–7). While Deborah may have carried a sword, Esther’s weapon of choice was a banquet. When she learned of Haman’s genocidal plot against the Jews, Esther did not storm the throne room. Understanding the precariousness of her social situation and her own physical vulnerability, Esther flexed her relational muscles and shrewdly reasoned with Ahasuerus. Her brave confrontation was carefully measured and saved countless lives.
Day-to-Day Battles
As much as I admire the work God did through Deborah and Esther in these dramatic political moments—hoping I’d show the same fortitude with a blade against my own neck—other women in Scripture, like Ruth and Naomi, reveal that bravery on a small scale is no less important. These women show us what it looks like to trust in the Lord’s provision, rely on the support of our communities, and boldly advocate for those in need. And they remind me of my favorite unsuspecting warrior, the bleeding woman in Mark 5.
This unnamed woman waged a 12-year fight for healing that drained her entire savings and led her in desperation to the hem of Jesus’s robe. Her battles are perhaps the most intimate and relatable, echoing our God-given desire for wellness and relationships and the war we wage inside our minds to believe in truth.
When I read how Jesus told the bleeding woman her faith had made her well, I’m reminded that our Savior isn’t soiled by sin or swallowed up in our suffering. He sees us fighting against doubt and helps us get back up when our legs are knocked out from under us. He knows when we struggle to be taken seriously or to believe our worth as his children. He draws near as we combat cynicism after being hurt by those we turned to for help. In acknowledging this woman’s faith, Jesus affirms the bravery of those willing to trust in him through the day-to-day battles of life.
True Bravery
These women’s stories invite us to consider the connection between wisdom and bravery. Each of them must navigate complex circumstances that require wise, nuanced action. What makes them brave isn’t their radical choices in a vacuum but the delicate interplay between their faith in God’s promises and their commitment to living by God’s good instruction. Bravery is a step of faith on the path of wisdom. These women align with their sister, the personified Lady Wisdom of Proverbs, and discover that seeking the source of all wisdom is better than taking charge.
Bravery is a step of faith on the path of wisdom.
As Christians, we regularly believe in things unseen. We hope in what God has assured us. We don’t think of this as bravery. We call it faith (Heb. 11:1). We know it takes faith to believe God will provide for our family when our husband unexpectedly loses his job. We pray in faith when a dear friend becomes ill. We cling to faith when the right choice means risking reputation or relationships.
And then comes the test of our bravery—what will our faith actually compel us to do? When we’re guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, faithful hearts are moved to acts of courage. Wisdom calls out to us, and she’s joined by a chorus of women in the Bible, pointing us to the way of the Lord. If we follow their lead, we will truly be brave.
The Gospel Coalition