4 Biblical Women Who Changed the World Through Obedience

There are many wonderful biblical women who adhered to and showed submission to God’s will and plan for their lives. Some showed great initiative and purpose in obeying the call of God.

Let’s celebrate the lives of four biblical women, each of whom changed the world through obedience, submission and their unwavering faith in God.

Mary: A Powerful Example of Submission to God

When we speak of Mary, we immediately think of the best example among biblical women (and men) who exhibited submission. When God sent an angel to share His plan for Mary to have a baby who would be the Son of God, her humble answer is unparalleled.

Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word (Luke 1:38, NKJV).

Her decision to obey God didn’t foster praise and congratulations from her family. On the contrary, they were embarrassed and afraid when they found out she was pregnant outside of marriage. It was against Mosaic Law and, therefore, punishable by death. And few believed her explanation of an angelic vision.

Yet, this precious woman changed the world. She was blessed by God with the highest honor, to bear His Son; the angel called her “Highly Favored One” and “Blessed.”

And she endured hardships and suffering that few women experience. Mary’s submissive heart and steadfast faith gave her the strength she needed to watch her Son be crucified on the Cross. Imagine her joy when Jesus was raised from the dead!

Ruth and Esther: Faithful Biblical Women Who Walked In Courage and Obedience

Ruth and Esther were two women from the Old Testament known for how they lived, rather than for who they were.

Ruth was widowed at a young age. When her mother-in-law, Naomi, announced she was going back to her home in Judah, Ruth begged to go with her.

Her famous declaration stirs our hearts of compassion even now:

Urge me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts me from you (Ruth 1:16-17, AMPC).

Naomi and Ruth returned to Judah, where Ruth, with other women with no means of support, picked up extra stalks of grain in Boaz’s field to feed the family. When Naomi learned that Ruth had found favor with Boaz, she encouraged the young widow to request his help. Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s deceased husband, married Ruth and cared for Naomi. Boaz and Ruth had a son who became the grandfather of David, king of Israel.

Ruth’s unwavering obedience shows us what biblical womanhood looks like in action. And by fulfilling her purpose, her love for Naomi brought God’s plan another step closer to the birth of Jesus.

A Queen Saves the Jews

Esther was raised in Shushan, the capital of the Persian and Mede empire, because of the captivity of the Jews. Her cousin, Mordecai, took care of Esther after her parents’ death and taught her the ways of God.

She was chosen to compete in a beauty contest that would determine the next queen. Esther illustrated her submission in several ways, which led the king to choose her as his queen. At the onset of the contest, Mordecai had instructed Esther not to reveal her nationality.

During the preparation period, Esther obeyed the direction of the king’s servant. Through that humility, she found favor with him, so she was given extra preparations as she readied to meet the king.

Both situations illustrate obedience, but the most important was her allegiance to Mordecai in the face of the Jews’ extinction, which changed the world at that time.

Haman, an enemy of the Jews, had convinced the king to require the execution of all Jewish people on a certain day. When Mordecai informed Esther of this and asked her to intervene with the king, he posed this well-known question:

Who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion? (Esther 4:14, AMPC).

In submission, Esther risked her life to beg the king for the lives of her people.

Esther’s obedience caused the death of Haman and the preservation of the Jews. A national feast commemorating the miraculous event is celebrated to this day, known as the Feast of Purim.

Both Ruth and Esther illustrated faithfulness and boldness. Ruth’s obedience was a step toward bringing the Savior, Jesus, into the world. Esther’s act of courage was the pivotal moment that saved God’s people from destruction.

The Proverbs 31 Woman: A Model of Strength, Wisdom and Initiative

Who wrote Proverbs 31, and who is the mother who gave such advice? Got Questions offered an interesting thought:

“Many commentators have surmised that Lemuel is actually King Solomon—in which case the mother would be Bathsheba. It could be that Lemuel was a pet name for Solomon, used by his mother in tender address, and that Solomon wrote down her advice in the manner she would have expressed it.”

Although she doesn’t have a name, the “Proverbs 31 woman” is among the most regarded among biblical women and is valuable to all those around her. Her husband trusts her and her children praise her and call her “Blessed.”

Attributes of a virtuous woman that illustrate her initiative include:

• She runs her own business and manages household affairs
• She gets up early and provides for the family and helpers
• She works with her hands, is an excellent seamstress, and is skilled in foreign trade
• She is proficient in real estate, farming, manufacturing and marketing
• She is physically active, strong and not lazy
• She is compassionate and gives to those in need
• She is wise, kind and not afraid of the future
• She honors the Lord.

This woman takes initiative and exercises it. The Word goes on to say that her husband’s wealth will increase because of her, and that her skills give him a good reputation. We see the Proverbs 31 woman as an example of biblical womanhood.

Walking In the Strength of a Godly Woman

Mary, Ruth, Esther and the woman from Proverbs 31 were biblical women who revealed the same truth: A godly woman is marked by obedience to God, strength of character, and clarity of purpose.

These biblical women show us that a woman who honors God is not passive. In her obedience, she is faithful and purposeful in every season, and her actions can change the world.

Their lives remind us that obedience is never wasted. When you say yes to God—whether in quiet faithfulness or bold action—you position yourself for His plan to unfold in and through your life.

These women changed the world and continue to serve as an inspiration of what God can do with a willing heart, and the impact of a woman who follows the Lord.

Today, you can walk in the same path as these biblical women. As you trust God, follow His Word and act in faith, He will guide your steps, strengthen your heart and use your life to make a difference.

Whether you are a woman or a man, you are called, equipped and empowered to live a life of faith, purpose and impact.

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