Are you most like a bee or a goat?
I bet that was not a question you were expecting to be asked today!
Before you answer, let me help you out by defining some characteristics these two animals have, as proven by some extraordinary women from the Bible.
A Bee
- thrives in leaderships roles (queen bee)
- likes to worship (the queen bee has attendants)
- enjoys working outside the home (gathering pollen)
- takes on the roles of being a mother to all she encounters (only the queen is the mother to the entire hive)
A Goat
- is highly intelligent (they are highly adapt at avoiding predators and live long lives because of this)
- physically fit (they can maneuver rugged terrains)
- courageous (they scale high mountains and cliffs with no restraint)
- prefers to work in the home (they do not travel far distances)
There are two such women in the Bible that represent these qualities of a bee and goat; together, they helped God’s people! I would encourage you to read Judges 4 on your own, but I have a small recap of the verses here:
The Canaanite king, Jabin, had oppressed the Israelites for 20 years, and God raised up a prophetess named Deborah to deliver them. The name Deborah means “bee” in Hebrew. Deborah obeyed God and summoned the Israelite commander. She told the commander to gather men and fight against Jabin’s army, which was led by an ungodly man named Sisera.
The Israelite army went to war, and Sisera fled in the fighting to a tent where a woman named Jael lived. Jael, in Hebrew, is a name that means “wild mountain goat”. He thought he would be safe because Jael was a woman, who tricked him into thinking he was safe by welcoming him, giving him milk to drink, and covering him with a blanket. But, while he slept, Jael drove a tent peg through his head, killing him.
The chapter ends with Deborah (and the Israelites) singing thanks to Jael in a worship song to the Lord as they celebrate a victory.
Both women, with different qualities, made profound impacts for God’s glory and aiding His people! Deborah had the skills of a bee, while Jael was as wild as a mountain goat. And while there are many wonderful pairs of women in the Bible (Ruth and Naomi or Mary and Martha) my favorite is Deborah and Jael! These two were tough, ready to fight for the Lord, and the Lord blessed them for this.
So now I ask, are you most like a bee or a goat? Both are wonderful and God inspired! Let me know in the comments!
Are you looking for a guest speaker at your next women’s gathering? I would love to come talk about Deborah and Jael in more detail with you and other sisters in Christ! Just reach out!
Strive With Keri 