Virtuous Woman - Serving & TeamworkSample

Strength

Character Goal: Strength is a measure of both spiritual and physical progress that comes through faith and hard work.

Biblical Character: Deborah and Jael

Scripture Reading: Judges 4:1‑23

Discussion Questions:

• What happened to the Israelites after their previous leader Ehud died? Why?
• After the Israelites had been oppressed for twenty years, what did they finally do?
• Who was Deborah? What was her role in Israel at that time? What does this teach us about women and God’s relationship with them?
• What does Deborah’s role also tell us about her character?
• According to 1 John 2:14, what is it that makes Deborah spiritually strong? How will we become spiritually strong?
• Deborah was known to be a strong woman of God. As an athlete, how can you be the strong and feminine woman God uniquely created you to be?
• Who did God choose to lead the Israelites out of their oppression? What was his response after Deborah explained what God wanted him to do? What does this tell us about him?
• What do you think is Deborah’s view of God? How is her view of God different from Barak’s?
• How do each of their views about God affect how they live and respond to challenges? What does this teach us about our view of God?
• When you face certain challenges in life or in your sport, where do you look for strength? How can a high view of God strengthen you in difficult times?
• Because of Barak’s lack of trust in God, to whom does God choose to give the victory of Sisera’s defeat according to verse 9? What does this teach us about God? Women?
• To whose home did Sisera flee?
• What do we know about Jael? Does Scripture tell us anything extraordinary about her? What does this tell us about the type of people God uses?
• After Sisera falls asleep, what happens to him? What trait do you think Jael possessed in order for her to kill him with one blow?
• Jael was faithful in the little things as she set up her and her husband’s tent when they moved around. Describe how her diligence in one area helped her when a larger challenge arose. What can we learn from her example?
• As a woman and an athlete, what little things are you working on now to prepare you for what may come in the future? What are the small things you can do to be faithful and help your team?
• What does this story teach you about God? Women? How can you apply these truths to your life?
• What is one thing I learned from this story that I can apply to my life before the next lesson?

Training for Godliness

Often times when women are encouraged to be “strong” it is taken to the extreme in both physical strength (“act like men”) and character (“overbearing” or “bossy”). Strength can be displayed in many ways, such as being mentally or emotionally strong or exercising self-control when we want to do otherwise. What is the world’s view of a strong woman? What is God’s view of a strong woman? How can you, as a female distinctly created by God, display God’s idea of what it means to be a woman of strength both during and outside competition? What are some things you should not do in order to live in light of how God uniquely designed you as a woman?

Core Truths:

• Trusting in God and His Word makes us spiritually strong.
• God raises up women to be leaders and to accomplish His divine purposes.
• Spiritual and physical strength require discipline, hard work, and intentionality.

Memory Verse: “She draws on her strength and reveals that her arms are strong.” - Proverbs 31:17