Pentecost Raises New Voices
Pentecost is Important for Women: Note the Voices of Girls! May 23, 2021 Mary Stromer Hanson
The wind blew and flames of the Spirit appeared. In Acts 2, the first Pentecost, Peter is preaching to a crowd of 2,000 men and women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus.
16) But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17) In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18) And on my servants, both men and women I will pour out my Spirit in those days: and they will prophesy.
Fifty days after Easter, Pentecost is a much quieter celebration. This day deserves more attention, especially for the empowerment of women. Consider the rarity of female voices throughout written history. The recent attention given to three young women within a few years is remarkable. We have seen teenagers excelling in sports and entertainment, but where have we heard the voices of girls confronting the most important issues of today?
Greta Thunberg born 2003 in Sweden, addressed the United Nations urging action on climate change and the protesting the lack of action to make changes for the benefit of her generation.
Amanda Gorman, American born 1998, was center stage at the 2021 inauguration when she eloquently read her poem, “The Hill We Climb.” She expressed the frustrations of oppression and marginalization as a black woman.
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistan born 1997, at age 15 was shot in the head by Taliban attempting to assassinate her because of her advocacy of girls’ education. She is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
This is not a commentary on the relative merits of these young women, although the diverse causes they advocate for cannot be disputed. For the sake of our grandchildren, we are concerned for the care of the environment, the right of all people to thrive without discrimination, and access to education for all girls.
These girls made headlines in their teens when most kids are just finding their voices. They have been gifted with unlikely expressive and thinking abilities for their age. The world is finally giving young females the microphone. They are being invited to appear in important forums where they speak eloquently words of wisdom and warning. When has this happened in the decades and even centuries past? Anne Frank comes to mind, before that Sacagawea and Joan of Arc. Have I missed any more girls in their teens, or very early twenties, whose voices are noted in history books? It is not that young females have never before been talented and articulate. They simply were never given opportunities.
Is the prophecy of Joel, as quoted by Peter 2,000 years ago, finally becoming noticeable? I am not making a prediction here about “the last days” which we have been living in since the cross. Only that the prophesying voices of girls is one imminent sign of the kingdom ripening when all voices will be heard and equal. The Spirit is not a respecter of persons and the flame alights where she wills.
I have always been an advocate for the empowerment of girls. Many years ago, I listened to a sermon on the daughter of Jairus: Matthew 9:18-25; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56. I grew increasingly furious as the parts of Jesus, Jairus, and the disciples were highlighted, but why was the girl’s experience never considered?
Her story was the first that I wrote and then I added the stories of four more New Testament girls and five Old Testament girls for a total of ten girls. I emphasize−I chose girls who could believably be not more than twelve to fourteen years old in their biblical setting. A few are named, most are not. Some are well-known, most are mentioned in only a sentence.
It is vitally important that today’s girls are empowered by seeing themselves in the Bible and the important ways they used their voices.
For sample stories from Bold Girls Speak: Girls of the Bible Come Alive Today, published by Wipf & Stock, 2013. See my website at marystromerhanson.com
Available on Amazon
Pentecost is Important for Women: Note the Voices of Girls! May 23, 2021 Mary Stromer Hanson
The wind blew and flames of the Spirit appeared. In Acts 2, the first Pentecost, Peter is preaching to a crowd of 2,000 men and women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus.
16) But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17) In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18) And on my servants, both men and women I will pour out my Spirit in those days: and they will prophesy.
Fifty days after Easter, Pentecost is a much quieter celebration. This day deserves more attention, especially for the empowerment of women. Consider the rarity of female voices throughout written history. The recent attention given to three young women within a few years is remarkable. We have seen teenagers excelling in sports and entertainment, but where have we heard the voices of girls confronting the most important issues of today?
Greta Thunberg born 2003 in Sweden, addressed the United Nations urging action on climate change and the protesting the lack of action to make changes for the benefit of her generation.
Amanda Gorman, American born 1998, was center stage at the 2021 inauguration when she eloquently read her poem, “The Hill We Climb.” She expressed the frustrations of oppression and marginalization as a black woman.
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistan born 1997, at age 15 was shot in the head by Taliban attempting to assassinate her because of her advocacy of girls’ education. She is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
This is not a commentary on the relative merits of these young women, although the diverse causes they advocate for cannot be disputed. For the sake of our grandchildren, we are concerned for the care of the environment, the right of all people to thrive without discrimination, and access to education for all girls.
These girls made headlines in their teens when most kids are just finding their voices. They have been gifted with unlikely expressive and thinking abilities for their age. The world is finally giving young females the microphone. They are being invited to appear in important forums where they speak eloquently words of wisdom and warning. When has this happened in the decades and even centuries past? Anne Frank comes to mind, before that Sacagawea and Joan of Arc. Have I missed any more girls in their teens, or very early twenties, whose voices are noted in history books? It is not that young females have never before been talented and articulate. They simply were never given opportunities.
Is the prophecy of Joel, as quoted by Peter 2,000 years ago, finally becoming noticeable? I am not making a prediction here about “the last days” which we have been living in since the cross. Only that the prophesying voices of girls is one imminent sign of the kingdom ripening when all voices will be heard and equal. The Spirit is not a respecter of persons and the flame alights where she wills.
I have always been an advocate for the empowerment of girls. Many years ago, I listened to a sermon on the daughter of Jairus: Matthew 9:18-25; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56. I grew increasingly furious as the parts of Jesus, Jairus, and the disciples were highlighted, but why was the girl’s experience never considered?
Her story was the first that I wrote and then I added the stories of four more New Testament girls and five Old Testament girls for a total of ten girls. I emphasize−I chose girls who could believably be not more than twelve to fourteen years old in their biblical setting. A few are named, most are not. Some are well-known, most are mentioned in only a sentence.
It is vitally important that today’s girls are empowered by seeing themselves in the Bible and the important ways they used their voices.
For sample stories from Bold Girls Speak: Girls of the Bible Come Alive Today, published by Wipf & Stock, 2013. See my website at marystromerhanson.com
Available on Amazon
Below is an excerpt from Chapter One: "Miriam Who Negotiated"
Pages 13-17 Sample discussion topics for older students:
him on their walk home from the river; her breasts were overflowing by this time.
The baby’s own mother would be taking care of him as before! Miriam could not wait to tell Aaron and her father. She thought of her first song at
this time as she joyfully sang praises to God that the plan had been successful. In this clever way, with the blessing of the God of Abraham, Miriam
managed to save her brother as well as reunite him with her family! The princess even paid the mother wages to take care of her own baby!
Now the family could stay together for a few more years. When Moses was older, he began to live in Pharaoh’s household as an Egyptian son,
and there he enjoyed all the privileges of a young prince. He was educated to become an Egyptian ruler, learning their language and customs, but he
never forgot who he was and his origin. He did not forget the God of the Hebrews. We will hear from Moses and Miriam again!
Points to Ponder about Miriam
Girls and boys have a marvelous gift, characteristic of children of all lands and all ages. How many times have you taken pity on a living creature in
need?
Both Miriam and the Egyptian princess, although they were so different, they were also so much alike. They both loved a helpless baby and
wanted to save it. Girls have forever picked up and nursed the injured. This is a wonderful quality. It is sad when God’s creatures are harmed, because
all living things are precious in his sight. Through these daughters, one rich and one poor, God cared for the unborn baby, Moses. He cares for all life,
big and small. This Bold Girl showed bravery and initiative in saving her little brother. What if Miriam had been too afraid to speak to Pharaoh‘s daughter?
This young princess was, after all, the daughter of a very powerful and cruel king. Miriam kept her secret safe as she approached the princess. She never
revealed the plan to volunteer her own mother to nurse her little brother! We do not know if this was Miriam’s own idea or if her family had worked
it out together, but it could have turned out disastrously if she didn’t proceed with complete confidence. What would have been the result if she had
talked too much and told the princess the details of the plan? If she had not spoken the exact right words, Pharaoh’s daughter could have decided
against saving the baby Moses. Miriam changed the whole course of the history of the Israelites in Egypt by her bravery and clear thinking.
In this remarkable manner, God protected the life of Moses by Miriam’s bold action. She used her brain to think of a solution. She used her
mouth to speak up; yet she knew how to keep a secret. She negotiated a way to save her brother and have her mother care for her own child. What a gift
it is to learn to be silent at the appropriate times, but also speak up when the time is right!
Like so many other girls throughout the ages, Miriam was happy to have a new baby in the household. This was a big step for her because now
she was old enough to help care for an infant. This was the normal expectation for girls at this time and the only example they knew from the
generations before them. They learned from their mothers how to take care of children and the home. Their families arranged a marriage for them in
their teens and they became mothers themselves. At this time and place in history, girls could not consider school or a choice of careers. Miriam was
happy to step into the challenge of being a big sister. However, her life as an adult, which can be read in the remainder of the book of Exodus and
Numbers, will turn out much differently than expected for a woman at this time in history.
Be sure to compare the story of Miriam in this book with its biblical account. You can discover which parts here are fictional and which
are taken directly from the Bible. You will notice that the fictional parts of Miriam’s story in this book accurately depict how life was lived in Egypt at
about 1200 bc. Life in ancient Egypt is a very fascinating subject to study. You can find books with many pictures, maps, and timelines. Or, better
yet, make your own. Many museums have artifacts from Egypt including mummies, objects of gold, and objects taken from tombs. Maybe someday
you can visit Egypt, and if you go there remember Miriam!
Miriam and her extended family, all the Hebrews, did not feel at home in Egypt, although they had never lived in another land. How many people
throughout the ages and in all parts of the world have experienced this hardship? Often families have voluntarily left their familiar surroundings
and moved with much expense and danger to a new place that promises more opportunity. Many people have been forced to leave their country
because of invasion by foreign troops or natural disaster. Giving up a home is difficult for everyone. People with different colored skin, who speak foreign
languages, worship in different ways, and prepare pungent smelling foods have seldom been welcomed in a new land. Immigrants remember
their home and do not want their children to forget the ways of the old country. In their new home, they are among strangers. They may not be
well accepted and they do not understand all the new customs. Miriam lived under these conditions as well. Even though she and her family had
always known Egypt as their home, it was not their homeland.
About eighty years after the story of his remarkable birth, Moses became a great leader of the Children of Israel. Times did not get easier for the
Hebrews in Egypt. Moses, along with Aaron and Miriam, led their people out of the slavery they so long endured and took them to the Promised
Land. You can read these exciting stories about the escape of the Israelites from Egypt through the Red Sea in the Old Testament books of Exodus and
Numbers.
Miriam is a unique girl in the Bible because we meet her twice. First we meet her in this childhood scene with her baby brother Moses. We meet
her again as a woman in the book of Exodus, where her story continues. When the Children of Israel cross the Red Sea (15:20–21) and wander in
the wilderness for forty years, Miriam plays an active role. In the course of the history of God’s people, she becomes a decisive, authoritative woman.
Sometimes her leadership got her into trouble. Controversy will be her lifelong companion (Num 12:1–16). Anyone who is determined to make
a difference takes this risk, and risk requires courage. Long after Miriam died, the Old Testament writer, Micah, called her a prophet along with her
brothers, Aaron and Moses (Mic 6:8).
Questions for Discussion
1. The king of Egypt had ordered all the boy babies of the Hebrews to be killed. Yet the daughter of the king rescued this particular baby who
she recognized as being a son of the Hebrews. Was she being disobedient to her father?
2. Look up and read this story in the book of Exodus (Exod 2:1–10). How many different women were important in saving Moses’ life?
What do we know about Jochebed, the mother of Moses? (See Exod 2:1–9; 6:20: Num 26:59.) How and where did Moses find a wife? (See
Exod 2:21–22; 4:20, 24–26; 18:2–6.)
3. Miriam became famous for leading the Children of Israel in singing and dancing. One of her songs is written in the Bible (Exod 15:21).
What is the occasion for this song? How is music important in your worship? How can you participate and use your musical gifts?
4. Who are the Children of Israel? Who was Israel and what was his other name? How and why did Joseph go to Egypt? Be sure to familiarize
yourself with the Old Testament stories that occur throughout the book of Genesis that lead the Israelites to living in Egypt.
5. Why are the Israelites going to a Promised Land? What was the promise made to Abraham?
Related Cultural and Historical
Questions to Explore
1. With background knowledge about ancient Egypt, describe and discuss how your life in the twenty-first century would compare with that
of a poor girl like Miriam, or a rich girl like the Pharaoh’s daughter living in ancient times.
2. Do you know about, or are you a member of, a group of people who are a cultural minority in this country? What can you do to share your
culture with others, and how can you help those who are different be welcomed in church, school, and neighborhood? The Hebrews did
not feel welcome in the foreign land of Egypt and were persecuted. Is this the last time this has happened in the history of the world? Why
do people often feel threatened by those who are different?
3. Why were all the boy babies ordered to be killed instead of the girls, or why not both? (See Exod 1:8–10.)
4. What things can you do now or learn to do in the future that will help heal and comfort those in need?
5. Daughters and sons are mentioned in Exodus 3:22. Why are the children mentioned as the Israelites were leaving Egypt?
Suggested Topics of Discussion for Teachers and Parents of Older Students
1. This lesson would provide the opportunity to discuss abortion and infanticide of unwanted babies. Are babies killed today because they
are not the preferred sex, untimely, or deformed?
2. How have childbirth practices changed over the years?
3. Unfortunately, the evil of slavery has existed in most times and places throughout the history of the world. You can find additional information
about the history of slavery. In ancient times, captives from wars were often made slaves of the conquering nation. Is slavery still
practiced today? What people are vulnerable to being made slaves? Inform yourselves about the issue of human trafficking which is being
practiced today in all parts of the world.
4. This chapter offers the opportunity to discuss circumcision: the practice, the history, and the purpose.
5. Child labor has been a reality for most of the history of the earth. Where are children still forced into hard labor today? When did laws
first appear to prevent this abuse of children?
6. Is there a division of labor in the country where you now live based on nationality of workers?
7. If students are interested in archaeology, many resources are currently available to increase background knowledge, and every year more
discoveries are made. The Hebrews occupied a large city called Tell el-Dab’a, which is the Rameses written of in Exodus 1:11. On modern
maps, it is found in the eastern edge of the Nile delta at Avaris. A workers village has not been found at this location, but this story
draws from information about a workers village at Deir el-Medina across the Nile, which is from about the same time period.
The baby’s own mother would be taking care of him as before! Miriam could not wait to tell Aaron and her father. She thought of her first song at
this time as she joyfully sang praises to God that the plan had been successful. In this clever way, with the blessing of the God of Abraham, Miriam
managed to save her brother as well as reunite him with her family! The princess even paid the mother wages to take care of her own baby!
Now the family could stay together for a few more years. When Moses was older, he began to live in Pharaoh’s household as an Egyptian son,
and there he enjoyed all the privileges of a young prince. He was educated to become an Egyptian ruler, learning their language and customs, but he
never forgot who he was and his origin. He did not forget the God of the Hebrews. We will hear from Moses and Miriam again!
Points to Ponder about Miriam
Girls and boys have a marvelous gift, characteristic of children of all lands and all ages. How many times have you taken pity on a living creature in
need?
Both Miriam and the Egyptian princess, although they were so different, they were also so much alike. They both loved a helpless baby and
wanted to save it. Girls have forever picked up and nursed the injured. This is a wonderful quality. It is sad when God’s creatures are harmed, because
all living things are precious in his sight. Through these daughters, one rich and one poor, God cared for the unborn baby, Moses. He cares for all life,
big and small. This Bold Girl showed bravery and initiative in saving her little brother. What if Miriam had been too afraid to speak to Pharaoh‘s daughter?
This young princess was, after all, the daughter of a very powerful and cruel king. Miriam kept her secret safe as she approached the princess. She never
revealed the plan to volunteer her own mother to nurse her little brother! We do not know if this was Miriam’s own idea or if her family had worked
it out together, but it could have turned out disastrously if she didn’t proceed with complete confidence. What would have been the result if she had
talked too much and told the princess the details of the plan? If she had not spoken the exact right words, Pharaoh’s daughter could have decided
against saving the baby Moses. Miriam changed the whole course of the history of the Israelites in Egypt by her bravery and clear thinking.
In this remarkable manner, God protected the life of Moses by Miriam’s bold action. She used her brain to think of a solution. She used her
mouth to speak up; yet she knew how to keep a secret. She negotiated a way to save her brother and have her mother care for her own child. What a gift
it is to learn to be silent at the appropriate times, but also speak up when the time is right!
Like so many other girls throughout the ages, Miriam was happy to have a new baby in the household. This was a big step for her because now
she was old enough to help care for an infant. This was the normal expectation for girls at this time and the only example they knew from the
generations before them. They learned from their mothers how to take care of children and the home. Their families arranged a marriage for them in
their teens and they became mothers themselves. At this time and place in history, girls could not consider school or a choice of careers. Miriam was
happy to step into the challenge of being a big sister. However, her life as an adult, which can be read in the remainder of the book of Exodus and
Numbers, will turn out much differently than expected for a woman at this time in history.
Be sure to compare the story of Miriam in this book with its biblical account. You can discover which parts here are fictional and which
are taken directly from the Bible. You will notice that the fictional parts of Miriam’s story in this book accurately depict how life was lived in Egypt at
about 1200 bc. Life in ancient Egypt is a very fascinating subject to study. You can find books with many pictures, maps, and timelines. Or, better
yet, make your own. Many museums have artifacts from Egypt including mummies, objects of gold, and objects taken from tombs. Maybe someday
you can visit Egypt, and if you go there remember Miriam!
Miriam and her extended family, all the Hebrews, did not feel at home in Egypt, although they had never lived in another land. How many people
throughout the ages and in all parts of the world have experienced this hardship? Often families have voluntarily left their familiar surroundings
and moved with much expense and danger to a new place that promises more opportunity. Many people have been forced to leave their country
because of invasion by foreign troops or natural disaster. Giving up a home is difficult for everyone. People with different colored skin, who speak foreign
languages, worship in different ways, and prepare pungent smelling foods have seldom been welcomed in a new land. Immigrants remember
their home and do not want their children to forget the ways of the old country. In their new home, they are among strangers. They may not be
well accepted and they do not understand all the new customs. Miriam lived under these conditions as well. Even though she and her family had
always known Egypt as their home, it was not their homeland.
About eighty years after the story of his remarkable birth, Moses became a great leader of the Children of Israel. Times did not get easier for the
Hebrews in Egypt. Moses, along with Aaron and Miriam, led their people out of the slavery they so long endured and took them to the Promised
Land. You can read these exciting stories about the escape of the Israelites from Egypt through the Red Sea in the Old Testament books of Exodus and
Numbers.
Miriam is a unique girl in the Bible because we meet her twice. First we meet her in this childhood scene with her baby brother Moses. We meet
her again as a woman in the book of Exodus, where her story continues. When the Children of Israel cross the Red Sea (15:20–21) and wander in
the wilderness for forty years, Miriam plays an active role. In the course of the history of God’s people, she becomes a decisive, authoritative woman.
Sometimes her leadership got her into trouble. Controversy will be her lifelong companion (Num 12:1–16). Anyone who is determined to make
a difference takes this risk, and risk requires courage. Long after Miriam died, the Old Testament writer, Micah, called her a prophet along with her
brothers, Aaron and Moses (Mic 6:8).
Questions for Discussion
1. The king of Egypt had ordered all the boy babies of the Hebrews to be killed. Yet the daughter of the king rescued this particular baby who
she recognized as being a son of the Hebrews. Was she being disobedient to her father?
2. Look up and read this story in the book of Exodus (Exod 2:1–10). How many different women were important in saving Moses’ life?
What do we know about Jochebed, the mother of Moses? (See Exod 2:1–9; 6:20: Num 26:59.) How and where did Moses find a wife? (See
Exod 2:21–22; 4:20, 24–26; 18:2–6.)
3. Miriam became famous for leading the Children of Israel in singing and dancing. One of her songs is written in the Bible (Exod 15:21).
What is the occasion for this song? How is music important in your worship? How can you participate and use your musical gifts?
4. Who are the Children of Israel? Who was Israel and what was his other name? How and why did Joseph go to Egypt? Be sure to familiarize
yourself with the Old Testament stories that occur throughout the book of Genesis that lead the Israelites to living in Egypt.
5. Why are the Israelites going to a Promised Land? What was the promise made to Abraham?
Related Cultural and Historical
Questions to Explore
1. With background knowledge about ancient Egypt, describe and discuss how your life in the twenty-first century would compare with that
of a poor girl like Miriam, or a rich girl like the Pharaoh’s daughter living in ancient times.
2. Do you know about, or are you a member of, a group of people who are a cultural minority in this country? What can you do to share your
culture with others, and how can you help those who are different be welcomed in church, school, and neighborhood? The Hebrews did
not feel welcome in the foreign land of Egypt and were persecuted. Is this the last time this has happened in the history of the world? Why
do people often feel threatened by those who are different?
3. Why were all the boy babies ordered to be killed instead of the girls, or why not both? (See Exod 1:8–10.)
4. What things can you do now or learn to do in the future that will help heal and comfort those in need?
5. Daughters and sons are mentioned in Exodus 3:22. Why are the children mentioned as the Israelites were leaving Egypt?
Suggested Topics of Discussion for Teachers and Parents of Older Students
1. This lesson would provide the opportunity to discuss abortion and infanticide of unwanted babies. Are babies killed today because they
are not the preferred sex, untimely, or deformed?
2. How have childbirth practices changed over the years?
3. Unfortunately, the evil of slavery has existed in most times and places throughout the history of the world. You can find additional information
about the history of slavery. In ancient times, captives from wars were often made slaves of the conquering nation. Is slavery still
practiced today? What people are vulnerable to being made slaves? Inform yourselves about the issue of human trafficking which is being
practiced today in all parts of the world.
4. This chapter offers the opportunity to discuss circumcision: the practice, the history, and the purpose.
5. Child labor has been a reality for most of the history of the earth. Where are children still forced into hard labor today? When did laws
first appear to prevent this abuse of children?
6. Is there a division of labor in the country where you now live based on nationality of workers?
7. If students are interested in archaeology, many resources are currently available to increase background knowledge, and every year more
discoveries are made. The Hebrews occupied a large city called Tell el-Dab’a, which is the Rameses written of in Exodus 1:11. On modern
maps, it is found in the eastern edge of the Nile delta at Avaris. A workers village has not been found at this location, but this story
draws from information about a workers village at Deir el-Medina across the Nile, which is from about the same time period.
The Maids Who Questioned: Stage Version from Matt 26:69-75
|
|
(The servants huddle just within earshot, glance nervously at each other, scarcely believing their ears. Unnoticed, a man has come on stage left and is sitting on the bench. The stage gets quiet, the soldiers continue their conversation and antics, but now in mime.)
SCENE FIVE
(Liz on stage right notices the solitary man, elbows Abby and points.)
Liz: (loud stage whisper) “Hey Abby, did you let that guy in? Who is he? Did he come in with the soldiers?”
Abby: “I don‟t know, I think he is OK. I recognize him as a follower of Jesus.”
Liz: “You are too trusting, now go find out for sure.” (Liz pushes her in that direction.) “We need to know who is in here or we could be in big trouble.”
Abby: “Does it have to be me? Well, if he is one of the followers of Jesus, maybe I can find out something.”
(The other servants watch out of the corners of their eyes as Abby approaches the withdrawn figure.)
Abby: “Sir, I need to ask. Are you one of this man's disciples?"
Peter: (abruptly) “I do not know nor understand what you are talking about.”
(He then exits to stage left with haste.)
(Sound of rooster crowing)
Aaron: (Looks up into the tree) “There goes that rooster again. Of course with all the activity and light around here, even though it must be well past midnight, the dumb bird probably thinks it is daytime.” (The other servants look at him and moan at his bad joke.)
(The soldiers keep up their discussion around the fire. The talking stops every time the roar of voices is heard from the house. Then they all look at the house.)
Abby: “Whatever could be going on? I do hope they at least give Jesus a fair chance.”
Joe: “Oh, I am very afraid that Caiaphas, Annas, and the other big shots have their minds already made up about Jesus.”
Simon: “I heard him say, „Better to have one person die for the people, than have many perish.‟ We are going to have riots here if something isn‟t done quickly.”
(Peter comes back on stage, sits on stool at stage left unnoticed.)
Abby: “But Jesus is not the one getting the people all riled up. If the authorities would just really listen to him. He is talking about another, eternal kingdom. I am convinced he is an innocent man.”
Aaron: “Hey, there‟s that guy again.
Abby: “someone else go up to him. I don‟t think he is up to any good. Liz, your turn, see what you can find out.”
Liz: “No way, he seems to be in a foul mood, come with me. All right, I‟ll just shout from here.” (She turns toward Peter) “Hey you, surely you are with Jesus, you talk like a Galilean.”
Peter: “I swear, I do not know what you are talking about!” (additional profanities and he abruptly walks off the stage.)
(sound of rooster crowing)
Simon: “Whoo! And I thought we got earthy once in a while.”
Abby: “He does seem like something is weighing very heavily on his conscience. He is a troubled man. No doubt he is very concerned about Jesus.”
(A roar of voices from the window above. Everyone in courtyard looks up at lighted windows.)
Voice from back stage: “You have heard his blasphemy.!”
Joe: “That is Caiaphas, I know it is him.”
Voices from back stage: “Death to him! Death to Jesus!”
(Peter has come quietly back on stage and sit son stool against the wall stage left.)
SCENE FIVE
(Liz on stage right notices the solitary man, elbows Abby and points.)
Liz: (loud stage whisper) “Hey Abby, did you let that guy in? Who is he? Did he come in with the soldiers?”
Abby: “I don‟t know, I think he is OK. I recognize him as a follower of Jesus.”
Liz: “You are too trusting, now go find out for sure.” (Liz pushes her in that direction.) “We need to know who is in here or we could be in big trouble.”
Abby: “Does it have to be me? Well, if he is one of the followers of Jesus, maybe I can find out something.”
(The other servants watch out of the corners of their eyes as Abby approaches the withdrawn figure.)
Abby: “Sir, I need to ask. Are you one of this man's disciples?"
Peter: (abruptly) “I do not know nor understand what you are talking about.”
(He then exits to stage left with haste.)
(Sound of rooster crowing)
Aaron: (Looks up into the tree) “There goes that rooster again. Of course with all the activity and light around here, even though it must be well past midnight, the dumb bird probably thinks it is daytime.” (The other servants look at him and moan at his bad joke.)
(The soldiers keep up their discussion around the fire. The talking stops every time the roar of voices is heard from the house. Then they all look at the house.)
Abby: “Whatever could be going on? I do hope they at least give Jesus a fair chance.”
Joe: “Oh, I am very afraid that Caiaphas, Annas, and the other big shots have their minds already made up about Jesus.”
Simon: “I heard him say, „Better to have one person die for the people, than have many perish.‟ We are going to have riots here if something isn‟t done quickly.”
(Peter comes back on stage, sits on stool at stage left unnoticed.)
Abby: “But Jesus is not the one getting the people all riled up. If the authorities would just really listen to him. He is talking about another, eternal kingdom. I am convinced he is an innocent man.”
Aaron: “Hey, there‟s that guy again.
Abby: “someone else go up to him. I don‟t think he is up to any good. Liz, your turn, see what you can find out.”
Liz: “No way, he seems to be in a foul mood, come with me. All right, I‟ll just shout from here.” (She turns toward Peter) “Hey you, surely you are with Jesus, you talk like a Galilean.”
Peter: “I swear, I do not know what you are talking about!” (additional profanities and he abruptly walks off the stage.)
(sound of rooster crowing)
Simon: “Whoo! And I thought we got earthy once in a while.”
Abby: “He does seem like something is weighing very heavily on his conscience. He is a troubled man. No doubt he is very concerned about Jesus.”
(A roar of voices from the window above. Everyone in courtyard looks up at lighted windows.)
Voice from back stage: “You have heard his blasphemy.!”
Joe: “That is Caiaphas, I know it is him.”
Voices from back stage: “Death to him! Death to Jesus!”
(Peter has come quietly back on stage and sit son stool against the wall stage left.)
About This Book
I have a deep concern for the healthy development of youth today. Both girls and boys are bombarded with an overwhelming number of unhealthy messages in advertising, movies, and social networking. I am particularly alarmed at the pressures faced by young women and the lack of good resources to help them.
The choice from among secular books includes fiction about vampire boyfriends and a barrage of sexually explicit and violent novels. Christian literature is bland, not bold, and reinforces female passivity and promotes physical attractiveness. These stories encourage Christian girls to strengthen their power to effect change and develop leadershipskills.
The ten short stories in Bold Girls Speak offer girls biblical examples of problem-solving girls. These characters have been uprooted from their homes and they are challenged to adapt and survive using non-traditional skills. The action-packed plots serve as examples to modern young women, but at the same time take the readers to biblical times and places.
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Bold Girls Speak inspires girls to go boldly where God calls. This collection of Old and New Testament short stories follows smart, problem-solving girls who persevere and thrive with God's help in difficult circumstances. Most are unnamed and overlooked, living in a foreign culture, but the small ones can make a big difference. A few of the main characters are well known and named, but most are found in tucked-away verses in the shadows of the powerful. The girls live in historical and social-cultural settings authentic to the Bible, and they increase the reader's curiosity about biblical times and places. Each story is accompanied by age-appropriate commentary and discussion questions appropriate for classes, mother-daughter groups, home-schoolers, and Christian schools, as well as those reading for enjoyment.
The illustrator for Bold Girls Speak is Lisa Guinther, BA Philosophy U of Colorado, who can actually explain philosophy in such a way that anyone can understand it. She also has studied art which she practices in paintings, sketches, and photographs as a balance to her writing in philosophy.
Preview Each Chapter:
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Chapter 1: “Miriam, Who Negotiated” Exodus 2
Miriam, the most familiar of the girls, is broken-hearted that her people are despised in Egypt. Her baby brother, whom she loves, is doomed to die. With her ingenuity and bravery, she helps save the baby. She wisely chooses her words when approaching the daughter of Pharaoh. If her tongue slips, and she reveals the secret, her negotiations with the princess will remove her miraculously- rescued brother from her life forever. |
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Chapter 2 Five Sisters Who Asked for Their Inheritance: Numbers 27:1-11; Joshua 17:3-6
We huddled together in the frigid desert, staring into our meager fire. What a sight we were, the five daughters of Zelophehad-Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah-sunken in deep, silent sorrow. Many dozens of small lights surrounded us far into the horizon, each warming a family, some of them laughing together. Tirzah, the youngest siter, interrupted our thoughts. "I don't even remember mother anymore. Now Father's memory is also fading away, and we buried him only a few days ago." |
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Chapter 3: “The Servant Girl, Who Spied” 2 Samuel 17:17
The times are dangerous when his own son, Absalom, drives King David from Jerusalem. Zadok, the priest, calls a lowly maid into his chamber. He looks into her steady, determined eyes. “David needs someone to carry out a big mission. This someone must be brave and remember instructions exactly. Do you think you could talk your way out of a tight spot?” |
Chapter 4: “The Servant Girl, Who Witnessed”
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Chapter 5: The Daughters Who Built the Walls of Jerusalem: Nehemiah 3:12
"The king of Persia, Artaxerxes, lives in glorious splendor and only drinks wine from golden goblets. However . . ." Nehemiah paused ominously, "he has many enemies. My job in Babylon as cupbearer was to taste the finest wine in the kingdom before the king drank it. It was a great job, unless someone had secretly slipped poison into the king's drink," Nehemiah confided. "Well, did anyone ever do that?" I, the youngst of three sisters, innocently asked. "I'm here, aren't I," Nehemiah said as he winked at me. My oldest sister kicked me under the table. |
Chapter 6: “The Girl, Who Felt the Hand of Jesus” Matthew 9:18-25
Sweat streamed down the girl’s cheeks, curling her auburn hair into ringlets that tumbled onto the pillow. She focused on a man tenderly cradling her feet. His lips moved as though praying. Could he really be her father? Why were her parents gazing at her so tearfully? She could no longer will her eyes to focus on her mother’s weeping face. Resistance was futile. She was going to another place.
Sweat streamed down the girl’s cheeks, curling her auburn hair into ringlets that tumbled onto the pillow. She focused on a man tenderly cradling her feet. His lips moved as though praying. Could he really be her father? Why were her parents gazing at her so tearfully? She could no longer will her eyes to focus on her mother’s weeping face. Resistance was futile. She was going to another place.
Chapter 7: “The Maids, Who Questioned”
Matthew 26:69-75
“Certainly you are one of them, your way of speaking makes it obvious,” Abby approached him cautiously.
“I do not know the man!” the voice thundered back with accented expletives. The Galilean man knocked over the bench in his haste to escape the courtyard, as though to escape the Devil himself. For the third time, the shriek of a rooster pierced the night air. Even the stones seemed to rattle at the sound. Beyond the wall, they heard insane sobbing.
Matthew 26:69-75
“Certainly you are one of them, your way of speaking makes it obvious,” Abby approached him cautiously.
“I do not know the man!” the voice thundered back with accented expletives. The Galilean man knocked over the bench in his haste to escape the courtyard, as though to escape the Devil himself. For the third time, the shriek of a rooster pierced the night air. Even the stones seemed to rattle at the sound. Beyond the wall, they heard insane sobbing.
Chapter 8: “Rhoda, Who Persisted” Acts 12:5-17
“Yes, we are all so thankful that Peter was saved,” Mary Mark said, “And we are thankful to have you with us to help at the door.” Mary hugged her and took the heavy water pail into her own hands.
“I wish Peter could have stayed longer, I would have loved to hear more about his time with Jesus,” Rhoda said. “Did you notice how he remembered my name? When he left he said, ‘Remember me, Rhoda, and let me in the door the next time I come!’ He winked when he said that.”
“Yes, we are all so thankful that Peter was saved,” Mary Mark said, “And we are thankful to have you with us to help at the door.” Mary hugged her and took the heavy water pail into her own hands.
“I wish Peter could have stayed longer, I would have loved to hear more about his time with Jesus,” Rhoda said. “Did you notice how he remembered my name? When he left he said, ‘Remember me, Rhoda, and let me in the door the next time I come!’ He winked when he said that.”
Chapter 9: “The Girl, Who Found Her Own Voice” Acts 16:16-19
“Step right up! For a small fee, learn your fortune from the amazing young sensation, recently initiated in Delphi, instructed in the secret ways of the oracle.”
Yes, I am remarkably intuitive about people, she assured herself. I’ve had this uncanny ability for as long as I can remember. But how did I learn it? Or did I learn it? Do I have something more? That brief thought sent a shiver down her spine, which she promptly dismissed from her mind.
“Step right up! For a small fee, learn your fortune from the amazing young sensation, recently initiated in Delphi, instructed in the secret ways of the oracle.”
Yes, I am remarkably intuitive about people, she assured herself. I’ve had this uncanny ability for as long as I can remember. But how did I learn it? Or did I learn it? Do I have something more? That brief thought sent a shiver down her spine, which she promptly dismissed from her mind.
Chapter 10: The Daughters Who Prophesied:
Acts 21:8; Acts 23:35
At first daylight, we were happily underway throughout the streets of Jerusalem. The diversity of visitors in the city at pentecost was amazing, but we could also feel the tensio of so many people together in tight spaces.
"The constant conflicts are based on our differences: Gentiles against Jews: Christian Gentiles versus Christian Jews, and Christ-believers and the traditional Jews" explained Joseph.
"What is it about differences beween us that cause so much difficulty?" I asked.
"For instance, consider our differences. You are girls and I am a boy," Joseph smiles at us hopefully. Helen and I glanced at each other-So he just now noticed?
Acts 21:8; Acts 23:35
At first daylight, we were happily underway throughout the streets of Jerusalem. The diversity of visitors in the city at pentecost was amazing, but we could also feel the tensio of so many people together in tight spaces.
"The constant conflicts are based on our differences: Gentiles against Jews: Christian Gentiles versus Christian Jews, and Christ-believers and the traditional Jews" explained Joseph.
"What is it about differences beween us that cause so much difficulty?" I asked.
"For instance, consider our differences. You are girls and I am a boy," Joseph smiles at us hopefully. Helen and I glanced at each other-So he just now noticed?
My First Published Piece Mutuality Autumn 2008
A Devotional for Families Luke 8:40-56:
The Girl Whose Hand Jesus Touched
www.cbeinternational.org/resources/article/mutuality/devotional-families-luke-840%E2%80%9356
The Girl Whose Hand Jesus Touched
www.cbeinternational.org/resources/article/mutuality/devotional-families-luke-840%E2%80%9356
PDFs of Curriculum Materials to Use With Bold Girls Classes
Match Story with Location
1. Jerusalem: The home of Mary Mark A. The Girl Whose Hand Jesus Held
2. Caesarea B. The Servant Girls Who Questioned
3. Egypt C. The Girl Who Found Her Voice Download PDF
2. Caesarea B. The Servant Girls Who Questioned
3. Egypt C. The Girl Who Found Her Voice Download PDF
Lesson Ideas for Classes
Below are several activities to preview the stories before they have been read or review the Bold Girls after all have been read. These ideas will pull together the information learned and place new knowledge into the larger context of the biblical world.
1) On a large map of the Middle East, find the location of each of the Bold Girls. Use this matching exercise to get started. Note that in some cases the girls moved from one country to another. Can we visit these places today?
2) Draw a time line either on a classroom whiteboard, bulletin board, or your own paper. Graph paper is ideal. Starting with 1400 B.C., mark off 100 year increments until 100 A.D. Find the approximate years when the stories of the Bold Girls take place.
Download PDF
Below are several activities to preview the stories before they have been read or review the Bold Girls after all have been read. These ideas will pull together the information learned and place new knowledge into the larger context of the biblical world.
1) On a large map of the Middle East, find the location of each of the Bold Girls. Use this matching exercise to get started. Note that in some cases the girls moved from one country to another. Can we visit these places today?
2) Draw a time line either on a classroom whiteboard, bulletin board, or your own paper. Graph paper is ideal. Starting with 1400 B.C., mark off 100 year increments until 100 A.D. Find the approximate years when the stories of the Bold Girls take place.
Download PDF
Quiz Your Knowledge of Bold Girls of the Bible
1) Does the Bible ever indicate that women inherited property? Yes, the daughters of Zelophehad in Numbers 27:5 and the daughters of Job 42:15 2) Who bravely approached the daughter of a powerful monarch? Miriam, in Exodus 2:7 3) Name a woman in the Bible whom we meet both as a child and an adult? Download PDF
1) Does the Bible ever indicate that women inherited property? Yes, the daughters of Zelophehad in Numbers 27:5 and the daughters of Job 42:15 2) Who bravely approached the daughter of a powerful monarch? Miriam, in Exodus 2:7 3) Name a woman in the Bible whom we meet both as a child and an adult? Download PDF
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Website consulting www.savantpublishing.com
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