Tag: love

15 Warning Signs Your Partner May Be Abusive

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Before you get emotionally invested or committed to someone, it is important to take off any rose tinted glasses and pay close attention to how they actually behave, not how you hope they will be. When people show you who they are early on, it is usually best to believe them the first time rather than explain it away or minimise it.

Many people do not intentionally ignore red flags, but they become so focused on the potential of the relationship that they overlook behaviour that is already showing them the truth. You should not be so desperate for connection or afraid of being alone that you place yourself in a situation where your safety, wellbeing, or peace of mind could be at risk later on. What may start as small uncomfortable moments can, over time, develop into patterns that are far more serious.

Sometimes these warning signs are obvious in hindsight, like neon flashing signals that were there all along, but at the time they are dismissed because of hope, attachment, or lack of experience with what healthy behaviour actually looks like.

Not everyone grows up being taught what a healthy relationship looks like, so it is understandable that some people may misread control, jealousy, or disrespect as normal or even as care. That is why awareness matters, so you can recognise early patterns for what they are, rather than learning the hard way once you are already deeply invested.

Abuse rarely starts with something obvious. It does not begin with extreme behavior or clear harm. Instead, it often begins quietly, through subtle tests, small boundary violations, and moments that are easy to dismiss. Before someone becomes openly abusive, they may first try to determine whether you are someone who will tolerate control. That might sound harsh, but understanding this pattern can help you protect yourself.

Abuse is not always constant. It often comes in cycles. There can be calm periods, apologies, affection, and promises to change, followed again by the same harmful behavior. This cycle is one of the main reasons people stay, because the good moments feel like proof things are improving.

THE TESTING PHASE, HOW IT OFTEN BEGINS

Early on, a potentially abusive person may test your boundaries in ways that seem small or even harmless. You might say you do not want a hug, and they push anyway, saying “come on, where is my hug.” You might express discomfort, and they dismiss it. They may pick small arguments, excuse someone else treating you badly, or show early jealousy and possessiveness. Individually, these moments feel minor, but together they form a pattern. What is happening beneath the surface is simple, they are learning what you will tolerate.

WHAT THEY HEAR VS WHAT YOU MEAN

In healthy relationships, communication is how boundaries are set. You express how you feel, the other person listens, and things are adjusted. You might say, “I do not like that, please do not treat me like that.” You explain yourself, you try to have a conversation, and you may even cry or plead to be understood. To you, that is communication. To someone who is abusive, it can be interpreted differently. They may not hear a boundary, they hear toleration.

As long as you stay, what they often register is not your words, but your continued presence. Even ultimatums lose meaning if they are not followed by action. If you say you will leave but stay, the message they receive is that the behavior is acceptable. This is why many people feel confused, they communicated clearly, but nothing changed.

WHY PEOPLE STAY

People often ask why someone stays after seeing these signs. The answer is not simple. Abuse is not only about fear, it is also about attachment. There is often a strong emotional bond, sometimes called a trauma bond, where the same person who causes harm is also the source of comfort. That creates confusion.

There is also hope, hope that the early version of the person will return, hope that better communication, patience, or love will fix things. Fear can also play a role, including financial dependence, isolation, and lack of support, all of which can make leaving harder. Leaving is rarely one decision, it is often a process.

Over time, another shift can happen. People begin doubting themselves instead of the behaviour. They may think, “Maybe I am overreacting,” or “Maybe it is my fault.” This is not random, it often develops gradually when someone’s reality is repeatedly dismissed or minimised.

THE DOOR YOU’RE BEING OFFERED

Early red flags are often framed as something to work through, but it can be more useful to see them as a door, not a problem to fix, but a path to choose. Instead of asking what if they change, ask what if they never change. If they are jealous now, what does that become later, if they dismiss your feelings now, what does that turn into, if they get angry over small things, what happens when life gets harder.

You are being shown something early, and although it may feel small, it is a preview. The question is not how to fix it, the question is whether you want to walk through that door.

TRUSTING YOUR GUT

If something feels off, pay attention to that. You do not need proof, and you do not need validation from others. If you feel uneasy, anxious, or small around someone who is supposed to care about you, that feeling matters. Your instincts often recognize patterns before your mind fully accepts them.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR IT TO GET WORSE

A common trap is waiting for something undeniable before leaving, but you do not need a dramatic reason. You are allowed to walk away because something feels wrong. You are allowed to leave over something that seems small. You are allowed to choose respect, kindness, and emotional safety. A healthy partner does not need to be taught basic respect, that should already be there.

Leaving does not always feel clear in the moment. Many people only fully understand what happened after distance is created. If you are unsure, that uncertainty itself is something to take seriously, because healthy relationships do not usually create confusion about your own safety or worth.

15 WARNING SIGNS THAT YOUR PARTNER IS OR MAY BECOME ABUSIVE

1. Love bombing
Overwhelming affection early on, fast emotional intensity, pressure to move quickly, declaring love early, or pushing a soulmate narrative before a real foundation exists. They come on very strong, very fast. Everything feels perfect immediately, and they push for commitment early.
What this can often look like is being overwhelmed with attention very quickly, feeling emotionally swept up before trust is built, or feeling pressured to match their intensity early on. Saying they love you unusually quickly, pushing to move in together early, or talking about marriage before a real foundation has formed.

The intensity can create a strong emotional attachment early, so when harmful behaviour begins later, it is easier to excuse because you are holding onto how they were at the start.

2. Abuse is progressive
It starts small and escalates over time, often beginning with subtle criticism, jokes at your expense, or small put downs. This can include comments disguised as jokes that feel uncomfortable but are brushed off, even though they carry real criticism underneath. At first it feels minor, but over time it becomes more consistent.
What this can often look like is behaviour slowly shifting from “just joking” comments to more regular criticism or disrespect that becomes harder to ignore.

3. Abnormal jealousy
Accusing you of flirting or cheating without cause, or reacting strongly to normal interactions. They create suspicion where there is none.
What this can often look like is them questioning innocent friendships, becoming upset over normal conversations, or needing reassurance repeatedly for no clear reason. It can also include early possessiveness, such as getting upset about you hugging a friend.

4. Controlling behavior
Trying to dictate what you wear, where you go, who you see, or demanding access to your phone or location. Control often starts small and gradually expands.
What this can often look like is small “suggestions” turning into expectations, or them monitoring your choices more and more over time.

5. Disrespect toward others
Using degrading, dismissive, or misogynistic language, especially toward ex partners or vulnerable people. They often rewrite past relationships to blame others entirely. Pay attention to how they respond to stories of harm, such as abuse or assault. If they ask what someone did to “deserve it,” that is a serious red flag.
What this can often look like is constant negative talk about ex partners, saying things like “all my exes are crazy,” or blaming everyone else while taking no responsibility.

6. Public put downs
Belittling or embarrassing you in front of others, sometimes disguised as jokes. It is often framed as humor but feels humiliating. Do they tell people things about you, that you asked them to keep private. What this can often look like is jokes that target your insecurities or comments made in front of others that make you feel small.

7. Lack of support
Minimizing your achievements or failing to acknowledge your success. Your wins are ignored, dismissed, or redirected back to them.
What this can often look like is them not celebrating your good news, or shifting attention back to themselves when you share something positive.

8. Boundary violations
Ignoring your “no,” guilt tripping you, or pressuring you into things you are uncomfortable with. This can include emotional, physical, or personal boundaries.
What this can often look like is repeated pushing after you have already said no, or making you feel guilty for having limits.

9. Quick to anger
Starting arguments easily and blaming you for their reactions. This can sound like “you make me act like this” or “you drive me crazy,” where responsibility for their behaviour is shifted onto you. Conflict often feels unpredictable or one sided. What this can often look like is sudden escalation over small issues, followed by you being blamed for their reaction.

10. Intimidation
Breaking things, punching the wall, blocking exits, reckless driving during arguments, or using fear to control situations. Even without physical violence, it creates fear. They may hit objects around you before they ever hit you.
What this can often look like is aggressive behaviour that makes you feel unsafe even if they do not physically touch you.

11. Isolation tactics
Discouraging or preventing contact with friends and family. They create distance between you and your support system.
What this can often look like is them making you feel guilty for seeing others or slowly reducing your contact with people you care about.

12. Financial control
Creating dependency by limiting access to money or pressuring you to stop working. Control over finances becomes control over freedom.
What this can often look like is restricting your independence, questioning your spending, or influencing your financial decisions.

13. Walking on eggshells
Constant anxiety about their mood or reactions. You begin adjusting your behavior to avoid conflict.
What this can often look like is carefully monitoring what you say or do just to avoid upsetting them.

14. Gaslighting
Distorting or denying events in a way that makes you doubt your own memory and perception, causing reality to feel uncertain. It can look like being told things never happened or that you’re overreacting, even when you clearly remember events differently.

15. History of violence
Past abusive behavior, restraining orders, or repeated patterns of harm. Often accompanied by blame toward previous partners.
What this can often look like is a repeated pattern of failed relationships with similar accusations or unresolved harmful behaviour.

What Healthy Looks Like

A healthy relationship does not leave you confused. You feel safe expressing yourself. Boundaries are respected the first time. Conflict does not create fear or control. You feel supported, not managed, heard, not dismissed, calm, not constantly on edge.

What to Do If This Is You

If you recognize these patterns, you do not have to deal with them alone. Talk to someone you trust. If it is safe, begin noticing patterns and documenting behavior. If you are considering leaving, make a plan that protects your safety. You do not have to earn respect, you are already entitled to it.

Sometimes the first step is simply telling one trusted person what is happening, so you are not holding it alone in your head.

Final Thoughts

The early stages of a relationship should feel safe, mutual, and steady. If someone likes you, it should be clear. If someone wants to be with you, they should treat you well from the beginning. You do not need to stay to see who someone might become, you can decide based on who they already are. And if something does not feel right, that feeling is worth listening to.

SUPPORT RESOURCES

If this relates to your situation, support is available:

United States 🇺🇸

National Domestic Violence Hotline
Call or text 1 800 799 7233, or use online chat
https://www.thehotline.org/

Love is Respect
Call 1 866 331 9474 or text LOVEIS to 22522
https://www.loveisrespect.org/

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

National Domestic Abuse Helpline
Call 0808 2000 247, available 24 hours
https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/

Women’s Aid
Online support and local services
https://www.womensaid.org.uk/

Men’s Advice Line
Call 0808 801 0327
https://mensadviceline.org.uk/

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*** By Katie the Self Defense Girl / Photo by Timur Webber at Pexels

What Is Love?

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The passage from (1 Corinthians 13:4–7, ESV) offers a powerful picture of what love truly looks like. It moves beyond feelings and shows us that love is something we practice daily—in how we speak, how we act, and how we treat others. At the same time, it gently invites us to reflect on an uncomfortable truth: it’s often easier to desire this kind of love than it is to consistently give it.

We see the ultimate example of this love in Jesus Christ. On the Cross, He gave Himself fully, patiently, and selflessly for the sake of others—even when humanity was undeserving. His love bore all things, forgave wrongs, and endured suffering for the good of others. This is the standard love we are invited to reflect and live out in our daily lives.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Love is patient. Love is patient. It does not rush people or force outcomes but allows others the space to grow. Patience also means respecting boundaries—understanding that real love does not pressure, control, or push past what someone is comfortable with.

Love is kind. It is expressed through actions, words, and tone. Speaking respectfully to others in a gentle, loving voice is a reflection of true kindness. Love builds up rather than tears down, even in difficult moments.

Love does not envy or boast. It celebrates others instead of competing with them. Where envy compares and resents, love finds joy in another person’s success and chooses gratitude over rivalry. Humility keeps love from seeking attention or elevating itself above others.

Love is not arrogant or rude. It treats people with dignity and respect at all times. It does not belittle, shame, or take advantage of others, especially in moments where they are vulnerable or lack power.

Love does not insist on its own way. It is not self-seeking. It does not manipulate or use people for personal gain but considers the needs of others with fairness and sincerity.

Love is not irritable or resentful, nor is it spiteful. It does not deliberately provoke, irritate, or disturb others for personal satisfaction. Actions done with the intention to unsettle or disrupt, goes against the very nature of love. Love chooses understanding and consideration, even when it would be easier to act out of frustration or indifference.

Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. It does not hold onto past mistakes as weapons for the future. Instead, it forgives, releases, and makes room for growth and restoration.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It does not misuse authority or act superior because of its position. When given influence or leadership, love leads with humility and refuses to exploit others.

So what is love?

Love is not merely something to be received—it is something to be practiced. It is patient, kind, respectful, and selfless. It honors boundaries, speaks with gentleness, and refuses to take advantage of others.

Just as Jesus demonstrated on the Cross, love is often sacrificial, choosing the good of others even at great personal cost. Many of us want to be loved this way. The question this passage leaves us with is simple, but not always easy: Are we willing to live it out first, following the example of Christ?

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** Photo by Tara Winstead at Pexels

Jesus Loved the Person, But Never Affirmed a Lie

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In a world increasingly shaped by feelings over truth, many have come to believe that love requires agreement—that to truly care for someone, you must affirm their identity, their choices, and even their errors. But that is not the pattern we see in Christ Jesus. The life and ministry of Jesus reveal something far deeper, far stronger, and far more liberating than mere affirmation: truth-filled love.

Jesus was undeniably compassionate. He drew near to the broken, the rejected, the outcast, and the sinner. He did not wait for people to clean themselves up before engaging them; He met them in their mess, in their confusion, and in their pain. Yet His compassion was never expressed through compromise. At no point did He affirm what was false in order to make someone feel comfortable. His love was not rooted in approval—it was rooted in redemption.

Love Does Not Compromise Truth

When Jesus declared,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)

He was not merely describing something He possessed—He was revealing who He is. Truth is not just something Jesus spoke; it is His very nature. Because of this, it would be impossible for Him to affirm a lie without denying Himself.

This is where modern thinking often collides with biblical reality. Today, love is often defined as unconditional affirmation—support without correction, acceptance without transformation. But the love of Christ is not passive; it is active and purposeful. It does not leave people where it finds them.

Jesus never said, “Remain as you are and be affirmed.” He said,

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

To follow Him is to be changed by Him.

Compassion Without Compromise

Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus extending extraordinary grace to those society rejected. He touched lepers, dined with tax collectors, and spoke with those labeled as sinners. Yet in every interaction, there was a consistent thread: He loved them fully, but He never validated the sin that bound them.

When He encountered the woman caught in adultery, He did not join in her condemnation—but neither did He ignore her sin. His words were both merciful and direct:

“Go and sin no more.”

In that moment, we see the perfect union of grace and truth. Mercy did not cancel truth; it made transformation possible.

This reveals a critical distinction: Loving someone does not mean agreeing with everything about them. In fact, true love refuses to affirm what is destroying the person it cares for.

The Great Physician Speaks Truth

In Mark 2:17, Jesus says:

“Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do.”

This statement is not just descriptive—it is deeply revealing. Jesus identifies Himself as the Great Physician, one who comes to heal what is broken. But healing requires diagnosis, and diagnosis requires truth.

A doctor who ignores illness to protect a patient’s feelings is not loving—he is negligent. In the same way, Jesus never ignored sin. He exposed it, not to shame, but to heal. He named the condition so He could bring the cure.

Sin, left unaddressed, destroys. Jesus confronted it because He came to set people free.

Truth Is the Highest Form of Love

The world often promotes a version of love that avoids discomfort at all costs. It says:

“If it feels good, affirm it.” “If it offends, avoid it.”

But Jesus demonstrates that truth and love are inseparable.

To affirm a lie may provide temporary comfort, but it ultimately leads to deeper bondage. Truth, on the other hand, may challenge, convict, and even offend—but it leads to freedom.

Real love is not afraid to tell the truth. Real love does not prioritize feelings over eternal reality. Real love speaks in a way that calls people out of darkness and into light.

Jesus did not come to make people comfortable in their sin—He came to deliver them from it.

Let God Be True

Scripture declares in Romans 3:4:

“Let God be true, and every man a liar.”

This is a call to anchor ourselves in God’s truth above all else—above culture, above popular opinion, and even above our own emotions. Human understanding is limited and often flawed, but God’s Word stands unchanging.

If Jesus, who is the embodiment of truth, never affirmed a lie, then we must be careful not to do so in the name of love, tolerance, or acceptance. To elevate human perspective above divine truth is to lose our foundation entirely.

Our Call: Walk as He Walked

To follow Christ is to reflect His character. That means we are called to love as He loved—but also to stand in truth as He stood in truth.

This is not a call to harshness or self-righteousness. Jesus was never cruel in His honesty. His words were firm, but they were always aimed at restoration. Likewise, we are called to:

Approach people with humility

Extend grace generously

But never compromise truth

We meet people where they are—but we do not leave them there. We walk with them toward transformation.

Final Word

Jesus never sacrificed truth to gain acceptance.

He never affirmed sin to appear compassionate.

He never denied who He was—the Truth—to make others comfortable.

And if we are His followers, neither should we.

Because love that affirms a lie is not love at all—it is a subtle form of abandonment.

But truth, spoken in love, has the power to heal, restore, and set free. And that is the kind of love the world desperately needs.

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** Photo by Ian Panelo at Pexels

The Family of God: Beautiful and Diverse

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The Bible offers profound wisdom on love and humility, continually challenging believers to examine not only what we profess, but how we live. One of the most confronting statements is found in 1 John 4:20:

“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”

These words expose the contradiction of claiming devotion to God while harbouring prejudice, partiality, or indifference toward others. They call us to a radical, transformative love—one that reshapes how we view, value, and treat every person.

This call becomes even more striking when we hold it alongside the Bible’s vision of God’s kingdom. In Revelation 7:9–10, John describes the culmination of history:

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb… And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”

This is the end toward which God is moving all things: a redeemed, unified, multiethnic family worshipping together in harmony. The diversity of the crowd is not erased—it is celebrated. Different nations, languages, cultures, and stories are woven into one glorious chorus of praise.

One in Christ, Not Divided by the World

Despite this clear biblical vision, divisions can still subtly appear—even within Christian communities. Scripture reminds us plainly in Galatians 3:28:

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Yet even well-meaning believers can fall into patterns of valuing influence, wealth, race, age, or social standing. These distinctions can create barriers, foster inequality, and obscure the heart of the Gospel. God’s heart is for unity, not uniformity—unity rooted in love, humility, and shared identity in Christ.

God created us with different histories, cultures, languages, and perspectives, and each of us reflects His image in a unique way. When we love one another well across those differences, we reflect something of God’s own nature—Father, Son, and Spirit living in perfect unity and love. There is beauty in our differences, and that beauty is meant to draw us together, not push us apart.

Growing in Humble Love

The Bible calls us to be mindful when favouritism or division could subtly influence how we treat others. The Church—meant to be a refuge for the broken and a foretaste of heaven—can reflect God’s vision most clearly when all are welcomed and valued. Influence, image, or social standing can sometimes shape our perception, but God’s call is to unity, love, and humility.

James reminds us:

“Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in… have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1–4)

This passage encourages careful reflection on how we respond to people in different circumstances. Jesus provides the perfect example: He welcomed the outcast, ate with those considered unworthy, defended the vulnerable, and showed compassion without regard for status or social value. Following Him, we are invited to see everyone as equally loved by God.

The only time we should look down on someone is when we are reaching out a hand to lift them up. This is the heart of true humility, captured in Philippians 2:3–4:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Christian love is not self-promoting; it is self-giving. It invites honest reflection on how we perceive and respond to others. It is revealed in recognising the homeless person as someone made in God’s image, in honouring those who cannot advance our status or serve our ambitions, and in living consistently with the belief that every person has infinite worth.

Humility also requires courage. Silence in the face of injustice, whether in the Church or the world, can unintentionally allow harm. As followers of Christ, we are called to stand with the poor, the abused, the marginalised, and the overlooked, ensuring that no one is treated as expendable or unworthy.

Living the Gospel Here and Now

The vision of Revelation is not something we merely wait for—it is something we are called to reflect now. Churches today can embody this picture of heaven by living in unity across ethnic, economic, generational, and cultural boundaries. When we pray, worship, read Scripture, and stand for justice together, we give the world a glimpse of God’s coming kingdom.

To love as Christ loved requires rejecting the world’s obsession with status and choosing instead the way of service. It means recognising that, in God’s family, there are no hierarchies—only brothers and sisters saved by grace.

Jesus said:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

May we be known not for our divisions or our pursuit of influence, but for a radical love that breaks down barriers, uplifts the lowly, and reflects the heart of God. When we truly love those we can see, we reveal the love of the God we cannot see.

As James reminds us:

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)

True Christianity is not measured by status, platform, or power, but by love expressed through humility, justice, and service. Let us rise to this calling—not in our own strength, but through the Spirit of God, who empowers us to live as one beautiful, diverse, redeemed family in Christ.

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**Photo by Ann Tarezevich at Pexels / Photo The NIV Telos Bible

7 Firsts for Women in the Bible and Their Roles

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During the time of Jesus, women in society were often marginalized and excluded from positions of authority or prominence. In many cultures, their testimonies were not considered reliable in legal matters, and their roles were largely confined to domestic spaces. Social and religious norms discouraged interactions between men and women outside their families, further isolating them from the public and spiritual spheres.

Yet, Jesus stood in stark contrast to these norms. He consistently demonstrated love, respect, and trust for women, engaging them in ways that were revolutionary for His time. Not only did He elevate their status by including them in His ministry, but He also entrusted them with vital roles that shaped the course of salvation history.

Below, we explore seven significant “firsts” for women in the Bible, highlighting their profound contributions as witnesses and messengers of the Good News—and the timeless lessons they offer for stepping boldly into new beginnings.

1. The First Evangelist: The Samaritan Woman at the Well

At Jacob’s well, Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman, breaking societal and gender barriers (John 4:1–26). In this encounter, He revealed Himself as the Messiah, and her heart was forever changed. She became the first evangelist in the New Testament, sharing the news with her town and inspiring many to believe. Her story reminds us that each new day carries the potential for transformation—one conversation, one courageous step, or one act of faith can spark a ripple effect that changes the lives of those around us.

2. The First Witness of the Resurrection: Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene was the first person to see the risen Jesus (John 20:11–18). She encountered Him at the empty tomb, initially mistaking Him for the gardener. When Jesus called her by name, she recognized Him, and He entrusted her with the message of His resurrection. Her story reminds us that no matter where we are starting from, we are called to witness and share life-changing truths. Every beginning, no matter how uncertain, holds the potential to inspire others.

3. The First to Anoint Jesus for His Burial: Mary of Bethany

Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus’ feet with costly perfume, a prophetic act of devotion (John 12:1–8; Mark 14:6, 9). Jesus affirmed that her gesture would be remembered wherever the Gospel is preached. Mary’s actions teach us that intentional acts of faith, love, and service mark new beginnings with purpose. Each day offers a chance to leave a meaningful impact through devotion and thoughtful action.

4. The First Woman Healed Publicly: Peter’s Mother-in-Law

Peter’s mother-in-law was healed from a fever by Jesus (Matthew 8:14–15). Immediately following her restoration, she served Him and others, demonstrating how healing and empowerment go hand in hand. Her example reminds us that each fresh start can be met with action. Transformation—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—is meant to inspire us to serve and make a difference in the lives of others.

5. The First Financial Supporters of Jesus: Women of Means

Women such as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna played a vital role in supporting Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:1–3). Their generosity ensured His mission could continue, reflecting faith in action. Their story encourages us to invest our resources—time, energy, and talents—into things that advance God’s work. Every new beginning is an opportunity to give in ways that create lasting impact.

6. The First to Hear of His Birth: Mary, the Mother of Jesus

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the first to hear the angel Gabriel’s announcement of His birth (Luke 1:26–38). Her immediate response, “I am the Lord’s servant,” reflects remarkable faith and willingness to embrace God’s plan. Mary’s courage teaches us that accepting God’s call requires trust, even when the future is unknown. Each new chapter in life is a chance to step forward in obedience and confidence, trusting that God’s plan unfolds perfectly.

7. The First Gentile Woman Praised for Her Faith: The Syrophoenician Woman

In Matthew 15:21–28, a Syrophoenician woman approached Jesus seeking healing for her daughter. Her persistence and unwavering faith impressed Him, and He praised her: “Woman, you have great faith!” Her story reminds us that persistence and boldness in faith open doors to new opportunities. Every beginning carries challenges, but perseverance and trust can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

Jesus’ interactions with women consistently challenged cultural norms, emphasizing their faith, courage, and indispensable role in His mission. From the Samaritan woman who became the first evangelist to Mary Magdalene, the first witness of the resurrection, women were central to the story of salvation. Their lives inspire all believers to embrace God’s call, step boldly into their purpose, and recognize the transformative impact of faith, service, and courage—no matter what new beginnings lie ahead.

These seven “firsts” in the Bible remind us that God values courage, faith, and devotion, often entrusting ordinary individuals with extraordinary roles. The women highlighted here embraced their callings with boldness, obedience, and trust, leaving a lasting impact on the story of salvation. Their lives inspire us to step confidently into new beginnings, to serve with purpose, and to trust that every act of faith—no matter how small—can shape the world around us. Just as these women became witnesses, messengers, and pillars of God’s plan, we too are invited to live boldly, embrace our calling, and make each new day an opportunity for transformation and hope.