Purpose Study Bible 261: No Apologies

Israel had entered a new season in their history with God when people referred to as judges led them and handled their disputes:

Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided (Judges 4:4-5).

In these verses, we see that God appointed a woman named Deborah to be Israel's judge, a married woman who was also a prophet. We don't know anything about her husband, but we know a lot about her or at least we have one story to consider during her stint as a judge.

God's purpose for each individual is sovereign. He has His own reasons for choosing who He chooses and He explains Himself to no one. In this case, He chose a woman to lead the people, and that woman had already distinguished herself as a prophet. God obviously didn't care that she was a woman, and He did not assign another woman after her to be a judge as far as we know.

God can assign you a role that your culture or even your church usually assigns to someone of the opposite sex. A woman can lead, a man can work with children, a woman can build, a man can nurture or counsel. If God isn't concerned about your gender when He gives you your gifts and purpose, then you shouldn't be concerned either. Just be who God made you to be.

What has God assigned you to do? Are you hesitant to do it because others think it is inappropriate according to their customs and standards? Then perhaps God wants you to go where you will be appropriate and accepted and that's why you are experiencing opposition where you are now? The bottom line is God won't apologize for His choices, so it's best you get on with the plan and do what God wants you to do.