Where did we, as women, go wrong? We have no respect for ourselves and we allow people to treat us the way society says is correct. Well, I'm here to tell you that society is wrong. Here's where we made mistakes in letting people, specifically men, treat us poorly:
1. We lacked respect for ourselves.
Ladies, how can we expect men to treat us with respect and act with chivalry if we don't hold them to a higher standard? How we are treated starts with how we see ourselves. Don't put up with anything that you wouldn't be okay with someone doing to your daughter one day -- that should be our daily mindset. See yourself as a daughter of the Christ and live up to your calling -- that includes having faith in yourself. You can be your greatest influence, and you determine the standards for how guys treat you.
2. We couldn't say no.
Women, we have a problem saying "No, I don't deserve to be treated like that." But, putting your foot down and being conscious of the people around you helps with knowing what deserves a "No, I don't think so." We think the way guys treat us must be the best that we deserve. We can't blame men for how they treat us if we don't set the bar high from the very beginning. Stay strong in your sense of dignity because our generation seems to lose it quite frequently.
3. We were identified by the company we kept.
My momma always said, "Show me your friends and I'll show you your future." If you don't respect yourself and make men treat you as a lady, you will surround yourself with whomever, which will ultimately lead to destruction. Ladies, make them work for you because you were worth dying for. I'm not saying that. Jesus did.
4. We failed to seek justice.
We fail to stand up for one another. We allow men to assert their dominance and take it 10 steps too far. When will we learn to stand up for each other? If each girl took to instill the principles of respect into each other, we could be a support system for one another in times when we don't think we deserve better.
5. We were okay with being "a fly on the wall."
Scripture tells us that we are the hands and feet of Jesus, yet we're okay with being treated like dirt on a pair of shoes. We won't speak up, we won't defend ourselves and we won't change the standards. This is the epitome of why we fail to be respected. Change starts with us.
We went wrong as women by letting the world tell us how we should be treated. But now it's time to change society. Do it for your friends, your future daughter, whoever. Desire to be treated like royalty.
"She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." Proverbs 31:25
