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Mrs. Jumbo’s Daughters: Women in
the War
by Major JoAnn Shade
USA East, Ashland, Ohio Corps Officer
Remember Mrs.
Jumbo? She was a docile, obedient circus elephant who “knew
her role and shut her mouth” until she was force into battle
to defend her son, Jumbo Jr. (aka Dumbo) against the taunts of
a naughty little boy. Mama elephant reacted as a warrior, and
the circus ringmaster and others rushed to restrain her with
ropes and chains in Walt Disney’s 1941 classic film. Female
elephants are known to be among the most protective mothers in
the animal kingdom, and in her ferocity, Mrs. Jumbo was
definitely typecast in that role. Only a cartoon character, we
all know, but Mrs. Jumbo is a part of me and of the women who
have entered the battleground called ministry.
Women Warriors. Instinctively, I shudder at the thought of
women in a physical battle, with guns, grenades, bombs, and
hand-to-hand combat. I am definitely not a G.I. Jane by
nature, and would much rather seek after peace than wage war.
Yet, like Mrs. Jumbo, women have been forced to go to war,
even when their presence and actions were not culturally
acceptable. They have done so to protect their own, to stand
for righteousness, and to do battle against evil. Often moving
against their own natural impulses, women have cast aside
their aprons for the weapons of war, doing what had to be
done, plain and simple.
Consider, for example, Deborah and Jael. Deborah was a judge
of Israel, a woman of authority. In that role, she arose as a
warrior, leading the movement into battle, albeit with Barak
by her side. Jael, in contrast, was not at the battlefront.
She was home, in her tent, when Sisera, the commander of the
enemy army, came to call. Knowing that her country was at
risk, she enticed Sisera into her tent with the promise of
safety, waited until he slept, and picked up a tent peg – the
rest is history (Judges 4).
Two women, two roles, but both hailed as war heroes in
Israelite history. One, called to be a leader, and the second,
simply accepting the opportunity that opened up before her.
Most blessed of women be Jael,
The wife of Heber the Kenite,
Most blessed of tent-dwelling women
He asked for water, and she gave him milk;
In a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.
Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the
laborer’s hammer.
She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and
pierced his temple.
Judges 5:24-26
As the contrasting experiences of these ancient women
illustrate, women historically have come to the war out of
necessity, and, less often, as a result of their position of
responsibility or a sense of calling. In many cases, a woman
has awakened one day and has been forced to choose. I doubt
that Jael woke up one morning and said, “tonight I’m going to
put a stake through a man’s head.” Nor did Rosa Parks get out
of bed on December 1, 1955, determined that day to change the
history of the United States. No, as is noted about Parks,
“her action was spontaneous and not pre-meditated, although
her previous civil rights involvement and strong sense of
justice were obvious influences.” "When I made that decision,"
she said later, “I knew that I had the strength of my
ancestors with me” (www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/rosaparks).
When we move the conversation to that of a spiritual
battlefield, we find the same kind of dynamic at work. Some
women get involved in “the war” out of necessity – their
neighborhood is overrun by prostitution or their child has
gotten caught up in a sinful lifestyle. Yet there are also
many women who enter that war out of a deep sense of calling.
This calling can “empower us for extraordinary tasks and can
sustain us in our labors over long periods of time” (Creegan
and Pohl 2005, 102). As Catherine Booth claimed, “We must go
out and save them. We must not stand arguing and parleying as
to whether we ought to go, or what it will cost us, or what we
shall suffer” (Catherine Bramwell Booth, 302). We as Salvation
Army women are “called” women. Whether comfortable with the
metaphor or not, we are in the battle.
To the Front, the Cry is Ringing
When the call comes to enter the battle, whether with adequate
warning and preparation time or as an immediate response to
circumstances, what can women do? How do we fight? The first
obligation we have in this spiritual battle is to recognize
the enemy. Who is the war against? Is it against the culture
of our times, those who intend to harm others, those who are
openly antagonistic to the cause of Christ, or against the
Evil One? All of the above, it would appear at times, but in
this warfare, we must remember the words of Paul: “For our
struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12, NRSV). It
may help to read through C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters for
a powerful reminder of the role and strategy of the Enemy.
When there is a cushion of time (and even when there isn’t),
we must take advantage of the training opportunities that are
open to us. Seminars, classes, and prayer can train us to be
effective in the battle, as can coming alongside someone who
is experienced in the trenches. “I don’t know how” is an
excuse no woman can continue to use in the spiritual battles
she faces. If you don’t know, you better ask somebody! The
enemy is sly, and we cannot afford to be ignorant in our
actions and reactions.
The Ephesians 6 passage reminds us to fully utilize every
available piece of armor, describing these items as the belt
of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the
gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit. There is much instruction
available as to the utilization of this armor, and, when
covered with prayer, they are effective in protecting the
warrior. But I would like to consider three additional
“techniques” in spiritual warfare.
The first is that of subversive activity. Yes, careful here,
for I am not suggesting the specific overthrow of governments,
but rather the lending of aid, comfort, and moral support to
individuals, groups, or organizations that advocate the
overthrow of predominant cultural forces, such as religious
systems that damage people, or commercial endeavors that suck
our children into their snares. The word itself means to
overthrow something established, and comes from the Latin;
sub, under, and vertere, to turn. Perhaps it is from “under,”
from the margins, not the powerful, that the turning needs to
come.
The second is a similar tactic, that of guerilla warfare. An
unconventional mode of warfare, the guerilla is challenged to
“nibble at the enemy” (Ho Chi Minh), and to “negate or avoid
the strength of the other, while applying one’s own strength
against another’s weakness” (Jay Moynihan). Jan Meyes calls
women, “guerrillas of grace,” urging women to utilize those
things that make them uniquely female, “our tenderness, our
strength, our creativity, our winsomeness, our insight and
intuition . . . if evil cannot keep a woman hard, shrouded,
rigid, pressured, and preoccupied, it has lost.” While her
description of the uniquely female characteristics may leave
room for discussion, she is correct in her assessment of
evil’s hope. In this war, a woman must be strong, not hard;
open, not shrouded; flexible, not rigid; and must find ways to
combat inordinate pressure and preoccupation.
Judy Lang’s observations are fascinating and potentially open
to argument, but as such may shed some light on the woman at
war:
When women fight, the issue is more likely to be at least
subliminally perceived as life-and-death. This doesn’t mean
the issue at hand is serious; only that where men are
programmed for nonstop ritual combat, involving frequent
low-risk offensive forays, women tend to be programmed to
fight to the death if forced to fight at all. This in turn
results in a dramatic difference in modes of conflict. Because
the issue for men tends to be display, the conflict is overt.
Because the issue for women is felt as survival,women to equal
degree place importance upon remaining hidden.
Stereotypically, men challenge; women resort to subterfuge.
The male approach to conflict is the approach of
power-holders; the female approach is the art of the
relatively powerless, for whom guerilla warfare is the only
viable counterattack (www.animalpeoplenews.org).
Whatever the approach is that women must take, Jesus’ words
are vital to survival: to be “as wise as serpents and as
innocent as doves” (Mt. 10:16).
A final tactic is what Christ called for on the Sermon on the
Mount. “Do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on
the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if
anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your
coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with
them two miles” (Mt. 5:39-41). For, as Proverbs 25 challenges,
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him
something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals
on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” Offering kindness
and compassion to those who appear to be enemies may
ultimately be the most powerful weapons a woman brings to the
battle.
Wounded in Battle
A retired seminary professor and I share occasional spiritual
conversation that often touches on the subject of women in
ministry. He recently reflected on the women he has known
through the seminary, and remained in touch with as they have
moved into ministry. “The women pastors I know have been
crushed,” he said, with great sorrow in his voice. From his
perspective, while acknowledging that men have their own
struggles in ministry, it was the women who, time after time,
were crushed in the church and by the church that they so
wanted to serve.
My friend’s personal observations are amplified in Julie
Ingersoll’s sociological study of conservative women who
challenged gender norms within their religious traditions.
Evangelical Christian Women: War Stories in the Gender
Battles, describes the fallout many women experience as part
of the ensuing gender conflict within the boundaries of the
evangelical church. Nicola Hoggard Creegan and Christine D.
Pohl address a similar subject in Living on the Boundaries:
Evangelical Women, Feminism and the Theological Academy. Says
one of their respondents:
Pioneers don’t tend to have large cheering sections. Often
more people are standing by – shaking their heads – than
encouraging and cheering one on. And as for me, I’ve found it
often necessary to stop and rest, gauge the territory, try to
get some perspective, gather my energies and my will to go on.
The work often seems so demanding and the rewards so slim. (Creegan
and Pohl 2005, 115).
Somehow, the pain of the wounding seems even worse when it
appears to come as “friendly fire,” rather than directly from
the Enemy. Perhaps, in the end, that is the Enemy’s most
effective diversion, because if he can get us to battle each
other, our energy will be deflected from the real battle.
Surviving the Battle
In order to survive the battle, we must find ways to take care
of ourselves. An exhausted, shell-shocked, or dead soldier
cannot fight effectively, and an irresponsible martyrdom is
not an effective strategy in this war. A wounded soldier must
take time for healing, and ought not to re-enter the battle
while still disabled by an injury of war.
Take the time to get perspective. Step back. See the bigger
picture. Acknowledge that the battle is difficult. Seek
discernment as to your role in this particular battle.
Disbelieve. We do not need to believe everything we are told.
Scripture urges us to test the spirits, and we must do so
regularly. When Phillip Yancey spoke at the International
Literary Conference, he shared an image of a man speaking on
television in a country behind the Iron Curtain, reporting on
the results of an election. In the corner of the television
screen was a woman, providing sign language for the deaf, who
was signing, “don’t believe him – it is not true – don’t
believe.”
Band together. Battles are not won or lost on the shoulders of
one person. Seek out like-minded people. Do not be isolated.
Fight together. Remember the image of Moses, who had others
who held up his arms when he tired.
Determine the rules of engagement. The ROE take two forms:
Actions a soldier may take without consulting a higher
authority, unless explicitly forbidden (sometimes called
'command by negation') and second, actions that may only be
taken if explicitly ordered by a higher authority (sometimes
called 'positive command'). Within a Salvation Army context,
this provides an interesting structural concept, as there are
certain actions that a soldier, local officer, or corps
officer can take in the war against evil that need no
consultation with a higher authority, such as participating in
an open air meeting or witnessing to a neighbor. However,
there may be certain actions that need to be taken only in
consultation with a higher level of authority within the
organization, such as taking on a national corporation because
of their business practices, or defying the laws of the
country we live in. However, it would appear that we err on
the side of caution in this area, for all too often, we fail
to fight because “they” won’t let us (although we probably
haven’t asked), when our actions would definitely fall under
the “command of negation” category.
Stand firm. Despite the difficulties, the battle is worth
fighting – if we lose the battle for the souls of our children
or our neighbors, the consequences are eternal. God has
promised to be with us in the battle. We must trust his
promises. Sometimes our own courage doesn’t seem to be enough.
And it isn’t. But God is enough. As Brenda Wilbee challenges
us: “Sometimes God calls us to war. As women we’re afraid of
it, we’re not very good at it, and a lot of times, we are
crushed by the backswing. But God, we find, is there in the
thick of it” (Wilbee, 139).
In the end, we must remember – the battle is the Lord’s. This
isn’t our battle - this is God’s battle. The songwriter knew
that truth:
This is my Father’s world,
O let me ne’er forget,
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world,
The battle is not done,
Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied,
And heaven and earth be one.
Malthie Davenport Babcock
(Salvation Army Songbook, #42)
As we allow the Mrs. Jumbo to come alive in us, we can also
take courage from another film character. Writes Wilbee:
Sometimes we have to fight back. In the Wizard of Oz poor
Dorothy had about all she could take. First Miss Gulch, then
the wicked Witch of the West, and now a roaring lion. “Shame
on you!” she hollered, moving swiftly and forcefully into the
Warrior role, smacking the Lion a good one. “It’s bad enough
when you pick on a straw man, but when you go around picking
on poor little dogs!” Sometimes, the Warrior learns, it takes
a slap across the nose to save Toto (Wilbee 133).
Deborah, Jael, Mrs. Jumbo, and Dorothy; Janet, Amy, Danielle
and Helen, battle on. “The one who calls you is faithful and
he will do it!” (I Thess. 5:24).
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