Stella Nyanzi who works at Makerere University took pictures and a video clip of herself, which she then posted on her Facebook wall, in protest after the Institute’s Social Research Director, Prof Mahmood Mamdani locked her office. The lockdown was because she had reportedly refused to teach MISR’s doctor of philosophy (PhD) students yet she had in 2012 committed to teach them.
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Dear Christine,
Forget Dr. Stella’s stunts for a while, let’s talk about Women Empowerment.
You have heard it expressed that women empowerment means speaking up, sometimes without wisdom, power sometimes without restraint, information, sometimes without transformation, equality regardless of roles, assertiveness even without humility, the kind of empowerment that can even get you naked, in pursuit of your rights.
Christine, my dear, a woman’s worth is found in whose image she carries, God’s, who she is, rather than what she can or can’t achieve. As an heir of grace, (1 Pet 3:7) Christine, you, just like the man by your side, should realize your inability without Christ, without him you can do – not minimum, not half – but nothing, nothing! (John 15:5)
Christine, look not to the Activist world for role models, go to scripture for identity, Everything you have is a privilege, not a right. “Every good and perfect gift, (not every good and perfect “right”) comes from the father above” (James 1:17).
True women empowerment means you steward the gifts you have with wisdom and faithfulness, and when the day comes and illness, job termination, or old age is taking them fast, you will still remind yourself where your ultimate worth is, in Christ. Not your handbag, contract or body.
For now, compassionately think about your friends that subscribe to a different version of women empowerment. Pray for them, invite them to the small group, tell them about the liberation greater than the world’s. Live your life to show what is superior than freedom of expression, scholarship privileges, and speaking engagements.
Use your competence, and skill, and talent, and ability to herald a commission greater than your end of month pay – the great Commission.
In this age of hasty self expression, you may want to revisit the worth of your words and body, think about how much light (not heat) your words can generate, think of your body as a temple, not a weapon. It’s a holy habitat, God’s spirit dwells there, so adorn it carefully. Sister, “put to death all fleshly lusts that war against the soul”. (1 Peter 2:11)
Oh by the way, think about the “women of old” that Paul talked about as your blueprint; they considered their worth in God, those ones. Their beauty was from the inside; adornment had its place in their lives, but it wasn’t central. Instead, the “beauty of the person of the heart” is what they adorned, that’s the text I leave you with Christine.
1 Peter 3:1-7.
Ponder on it, let him also digest the last line about “husbands being considerate.”
Hope to hear from you from you.
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Script is as originally published by the blogger. Courtesy Photo – Dr Stella Nyanzi. Inserted is the image of Muleefu, the author, a Christian blogger from muleefu.wordpress.com.
