Restraint is a woman's radiance. Before the accusations start flying, think on these words. Today, in a world of raging feminism, women seek equality in social settings, job markets, and family control. Women take power either by tailoring themselves to fit the man's world or by tearing that world down. Instead, women should seek to add to the world as it is: a world in need of feminine insight and strength now more than ever.

We no longer have voting rights to fight for, nor the inability to go to war or have a job and a family too. So, women are now seeking a new battleground for rights. Because there are no blatant violations against women, our strategy must change to "underground" work. In the workforce, this can include working hard enough that we cannot go unnoticed. Further, in the domestic world, this can look like fighting for solid education for children, calling out abusive relationships for the welfare of the women involved and presenting ourselves with dignity, no matter what role we play.

With all this talk of fighting, why is restraint that of a woman's radiance? And what is the radiance of a woman, exactly? Biblical and societal evidence alike identifies women as the quieter, meeker sex. As women, we seem to have taken this negatively, but if anything, it increases our impact.

When I think of great women of history, Rosa Parks comes immediately to mind. She was an African American woman who absolutely refused to move from her seat at the front of the bus in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. We all know the story, but it nonetheless teaches a continuing lesson. Her actions were bold, but overall, she was just a woman on a typical day. As she sat there, undoubtedly being called names, being cursed at and threatened; she remained silent. This was her selected moment to take a stand.

Though a civil rights activist, her whole life wasn't one of boisterous accusations and flailing rights' claims. No--she used pointed moments in her life to express the convictions she had that only came through days, weeks, and years of quiet thought. She restrained herself from outbursts that would fall on deaf ears. Still, her restraint was two-fold: this general restraint kept her actions intentional, but when the time came, she also restrained from letting off on her principle. Her release of in-kept passion led to a moment in history that changed the face of the civil rights movement.

Rosa Parks will forever be admired and honored for her actions. This moment on the bus was her radiance. A woman's radiance is whatever is praiseworthy and good within a woman that she displays, especially in the face of adversity and contention. Instead of speaking too much on why women need this or that today, it must be shown. Women are given great strength from the beginning of creation, specially created to be the helper (Genesis 2). Yes, we have every right to be empowered just like men and even do the empowering, but we were created to do it differently. Men and women were created for cohesive purposes, but not identical ones. As the more inwardly-focused sex, but also generally more emotional and whim-following, we are called to restrain ourselves to act intentionally. It isn't submission; it is selected application of our influence for the greatest impact.

Women have great power and strength. It is moments like Rosa Park's that show women's competencies against the state of the world today. We are not to be kept down, nor will we stay down when our pursuits are denied by existing prejudices, but we have the capability to use our womanhood as it was meant to be for the greatest gift we can give those following in our footsteps: a true and lasting credit to feminine influence, free of frivolous causes and full of deep inspiration.