Lady in Waiting: Lady of Reckless Abandonment

Lady of Reckless Abandonment

What an odd name for a chapter right?! This book is going to tell me to abandon everything recklessly?? Sort of. As I began to read the first page I began to get the message of what the author means by Reckless Abandonment.

“A woman becomes a woman when she becomes what God wants her to be. This priceless truth can help keep your perspective clear in relation to true fulfillment in life. Too many Christian women think that the inner longings of their heart relate only to love, marriage, and motherhood. Look a little closer and see if that longing isn’t ultimately for Jesus. Gary Chapman once remarked, “I feel very strongly that marriage is not a higher calling than the single state. Happy indeed are those people, married or single, who have discovered that happiness is not found in marriage but in a right relationship with God. Fulfillment for a Christian woman begins with the Lordship of Christ in every area of her life….No one, not even the man you will marry one day, can make you ultimately happy—only Jesus can.”

Ok so what we’re recklessly abandoning are societal views and pressures that have been placed on women. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say yes most women do think that happiness comes from marriage, love, and motherhood. I’m one of them who think that! I get such joy and happiness out of working with children and developing relationships with friends’ family and loved ones. It makes me happy. But what if I had all of that, and did not have Jesus? I do believe that I would be longing for something more because ULATIMATE happiness comes from Jesus. Sure other things in our lives can make us happy but for how long until we are wanting more? And how long can Jesus make you happy? Think about that!

This chapter uses the example of the Alabaster Box (similar to a woman’s dowry back in the day- a box of oils given and broken at the feet of a worthy man) which is mentioned in the Bible to drive the message across. It talks about a woman who broke her alabaster box at the feet of Jesus and poured the oils on him, because he’s the only one, truly worthy. Now…I would feel bad for pouring oil over someone in this day and age but metaphorically speaking I’m going to “break my alabaster box for Jesus.” Sounds funny to say right? We don’t really use terms like that anymore but therefore I’m putting Jesus back at number one in my life to demonstrate his worthiness, breaking that box, shaking things back up to get them in the right spot, where they belong! Things can get a little messy in life and let him slip down and even out of people’s lives but I invite you to recklessly abandon those societal hopes, dreams and superficial things with me and know that, he will provide all that is needed in life! In my earlier blog I informed everyone to pick up and move down on my list of priorities, kicking everyone down a notch, because Jesus is back on top! Sorry bout-cha!

Personal thoughts and commentary on the issue: I think that where I live and society today does put pressure on a young woman to be married ASAP and have kids and if you don’t, man something is wrong!! This is drilled into women’s subconscious day in and day out. I think it will be a struggle to recklessly abandon all of that because it’s forced in our lives through all sorts of mediums: TV, Radio, friends, family, books, movies, you name it. To help myself (and maybe you) I’ll leave you with this quote about the matter of marriage and relationships:

“You were not created to complete another, but to complement. Completion is Jesus’ responsibility and complementing is a woman’s privilege. A woman not complete in Jesus will be a drain on her husband. Such a woman will expect her husband to fill the gap that only Jesus can fill.”

As long as I can keep the first part of that quote in my head especially, I think I can be a lady of reckless abandonment. Join me! It sounds bad but it’s a good thing! (Maybe since both the words have negative connotation they equal a positive thing? Just a random thought.)

Ask yourself: Have you let Jesus slip down a bit on your list of priorities or perhaps slip out of your life? If so…consider reckless abandonment it may not be so reckless after all.