“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.” (Proverbs 31) When she was a teenager, I would lie down just outside her room to listen as she sang the songs of Zion before retiring, and partake of a spiritual feast as she pleaded with the Lord. I did so, that I might be uplifted, for oft times the Spirit was nigh to overpowering, and I had need of such. Now, having been privy to her importuning with her Heavenly Father, I consider myself most privileged to be her earthly father. Is it any wonder that the first to behold our resurrected Lord was a woman? “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” (John 20) Is it any wonder that our resurrected Lord would first appear unto a woman? Listening outside the door as my precious child importuned her Lord and mine, I have acquired understanding.
Steven and Elizabeth Skola and James