I Want To Be A Girl That Speaks Up

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”  ~Proverbs 31:8-9

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Maybe you were the girl in our class that was always bullied. And maybe no one ever stood up for you. You know what it feels like to be small. You know what it feels like to be scared to stand up for yourself. But maybe you have been the girl that made others feel small. Maybe you were the person that made someone else’s life miserable. You know what it is like to be in the position of power. No matter what girl you have been in the past, I want to encourage you to be a new girl. This new girl, well she is something special, someone that people look up to.  She is someone that people are going to trust. She is going to be someone that speaks up for those that can’t. She is going to be someone that stands up for those that are stuck in their situation. She is going to stand up for those that are scared to use their own voice. She is going to stand up for those that are being pushed down and trampled on.  This is a really big bill to fit. But I believe that you can do it. Want to know why? Because “as long as you know that God is for you, who can be against you?” (Romans 8:31) Because we have a foundation that is unbreakable, we can stand firm. We can do what is right for those that are being told or believe that they are all wrong.  1. Standing up for others is a way to show God’s love. When we show love to other girls that are down in the dumps, when we stand up for those that are being put down, we are showing others the miracle of God’s love.  2. Standing up for others shows that you have been changed. As a daughter of Christ that follows His Word to the best of her ability, others will notice the change in you. By standing up for others, you are being a light for Christ by fighting against evil and protecting those that are weak. 3. Standing up for others can point them towards Jesus. People always look up to someone. Sometimes they look up to someone that is popular, rich, famous. Most of the time, people look up to a person that is happy, grounded, kind, honest, and safe. Someone that is brave and strong. By being a carrier of these attributes, people will look up to you. By telling them that you are who you are because of Christ, you can encourage them to also look toward Christ, and have the foundation of their being built in Him. You might be wondering how is it even possible to be this strong, bold, and courageous. Here are a few tips that I think should make things a little clearer and help you in this. 1. Keep your eyes on the bigger picture. Remember who you are doing this for: Jesus Christ. It is ok if you make a mistake. He knows that we are not and cannot be perfect on this side of heaven. But He does expect you to do your best, for His glory. "Being confident in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6) 2. Remember who is on your side. In His years on earth, Jesus stood up for a lot of people. He helped a lot of people out of the hole of sin that they were stuck in. He made the unlovable feel loved. He will give you the strength you need to be brave for Him, all you need to do is ask. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) 3. When you feel weak, pray for the strength to be brave. He is listening. He will answer your prayer. In your weakest moment, He will be with you. In your darkest nights, He will lead you to the light. When you are weak, He is strong. "He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak." (Isaiah 40:29) With that in mind, let’s pray. Dear Lord, We come to you today to ask You to give us strength to stand up for others. We know that this will be hard, but with You behind us we know that we are capable of doing anything that You have commanded us to. We pray that You would be behind us, in front of us, and beside us in all that we do. Forgive us when we fail Lord, because we will. Give us the strength we need to stand up again. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen. Reflect - Has there ever been a time in your life when you wished someone would stand up for you?