Welcome back to The Gospel According To, where we take all of the world’s best ficitional characters, songs, and ideas and connect them with the biblical truths that are the source of all good in this world. This week, in honor of women’s Equality Day, we’re talking about what Mulan’s “Girl Worth Fighting for” reallly looks like. Enjoy!
Fandom: Disney’s Mulan, “A Girl Worth fighting For” and overall themes
Nugget: A girl worth fighting for is any girl (woman) who fears, loves, and devotes herself to the Lord and to the people around her. God deems us worth fighting for from the moment we’re created, before we do anything to earn His esteem.
The Horizontal View: Individual tastes and societal norms
The song “Girl Worth Fighting For” ranges from cute and entertaining, to annoying, all the way to sincerely offensive, depending on who you ask. At its heart, it is describing three of the characters of Mulan and their ideal female companion. Each of them, however, has rather and self-centered ideas of what a “girl worth fighting for” should be. When Mulan offers up “How ’bout a girl who’s got a brain, who always speaks her mind?” she is quickly dismissed by the rest of the chorus. This serves as commentary on Disney’s (wildly incorrect) depiction of women’s roles at the time of the story, and of our society today. Women have begun to speak up for the right to equality, and have often felt by dismissed by the men in power.
As with many other Disney stories, this song can also reinforce the belief in us as women that we have to fit a certain mold in order to please those around us. While it may not look the same for everyone, it’s still there. In our Western culture, we have the weight of generations of women who were expected to stay in the house, cook and clean and raise children, and do “womanly” things like embroidery or watercolor. As a result, more contemporary generations aim to get as far away from that idea as possible. Any suggestion of an expectation placed on us as women is instantly insulting.
This whole thing gets even more complicated once faith and religion enter the scene. Without proper interpretation, several different Biblical passages relating to women’s roles are seen as *problematic* in our Western culture. Proverbs 31:10-31 (the “Proverbs 31 Woman”) is one of the most well-known of these passages. It is, after all, a list of expectations for women, impossible to fulfill by any human who wishes to maintain their sanity. Its sole purpose was to intimidate, invalidate, and shame every woman who dared to try and live up to its standards.
Right?
The Vertical View: What is a girl worth fighting for, really?
I recently did an in-depth study of Proverbs 31 aided by the Very Helpful Footnotes in my ESV Study Bible, and it completely blew my mind in the best possible sense. Not only is the Proverbs 31 woman NOT a list of to-dos or expectations; this passage also has a completely different purpose than I ever could have imagined. You can read some of the ESV study notes for FREE here 🙂
This passage is often held as The Standard for what a Godly woman looks like, so it will form the centerpiece of our definition of a Girl Worth Fighting For. Of course there are HUNDREDS of other passages that also provide insight, but it would take an entire lifetime to truly do them justice. So we’ll just stick to 21 verses for now 😆😁😜
Also note: this is not an exhaustive, end-all-be-all teaching on Proverbs 31. I am always open to more insight and learning; this is simply what I’ve learned from my most recent reading and study of this passage.
The purpose of Proverbs 31
The first and most impactful thing that I learned from studying Proverbs 31 is its purpose. Not to give women a list of expectations or impossible standards which we should strive to live up to. Not to limit our character or virtue to what we can provide within marriage, for the benefit of men, and demoralize any woman who hasn’t managed to “catch a husband” yet. But instead, this passage is an idealized example of wisdom and virtue, and its original purpose was to show that the rest of Proverbs applies EQUALLY to men and women. Although Proverbs uses men as examples of good character and wisdom, it does not only speak to men. The teachings of Proverbs are written for and can be understood by both men and women. We. Are. Equals. Period!!
How the Bible defines a Girl Worth Fighting For
Let’s start with the first thing that might label Proverbs 31 *problematic* in our Western, 21st-century culture. The entire passage focuses on a wife, with a husband, children, and other household members. It seems that all the P31 woman concerns herself with is pleasing her husband, keeping house, and doing other wifely things. However:
- As in French, Hebrew uses the same word for “woman” as it does for “wife” (ishshah). This means that the translations used by the ESV and other English translations are only one possible meaning. For women like me who aren’t married, “woman” can just as easily be substituted for “wife. “Husband,” “children,” and “household” can symbolize anyone in your sphere of influence (family, friends, co-workers, classmates, etc.).
- At the time (ancient Palestine), when women were more dependent on family life in order to succeed in society, being a wife wasn’t demeaning or limiting. Furthermore, this passage was read as part of weekly Sabbath celebrations as an affirmation of the women of the house. It was used to praise women, not shame them.
Characteristics of a P31 woman
A full-length, verse-by-verse study of this passage will be coming soon, but for now, here are some bite-size characteristics of the P31 woman:
- She is trustworthy and brings benefit and blessing to those in her sphere of influence (v. 11-12, 23). Psalm 1 compares a person who relies on the Word of God to a tree which bears fruit faithfully because it is connected to a stream of water. It bears fruit not only for its own benefit, but for the benefit of others. In the same way, a P31 woman “looks not only to [her] own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4 ESV). When we abide in Christ, we produce the fruit of the Spirit. Our fruit benefits those around us as well as ourselves.
- She has skills and is willing to use them for the sake of those she cares about (v. 13, 14, 19, 21, 24, 27). Whether you recognize it or not, you have skills. Every person in this world has skills, and God considers us trustworthy enough to put those skills to good use. As women of God, we put the skills God gave us to use for the benefit of those we care about. And the ultimate good that we can bring is to point others to Christ, which will glorify God in the process.
- She goes out of her way to feed her people, both physically and spiritually (v. 14, 26). These verses describe the P31 woman of Ancient Israel seeking high quality foods from far away, and also teaching kindness and wisdom to her people. She looks after the physical health and well-being of her people, but also invests in them spiritually.
- She is willing to ask for help – she doesn’t have to do it all (v. 15). This verse talks about the P31 woman rising early in the morning, preparing food for her household and her maidens. The ESV study notes describe her ability to delegate tasks to others in order to multiply the effectiveness of her day’s work. This calls to mind a story in Exodus 18, when Moses, the first leader of Israel, is trying to solve every tiny problem of his people all on his own. His father-in-law, Jethro, advises Moses to select faithful men from among the people who can help him lead them. In the same way, we as women of God don’t need to do it all. We are created for community. You don’t have to do this alone.
- She makes good decisions and uses her resources well (v. 16, 18, 20, 24). All of these verses talk about the P31 woman tending to her household, both inside and out. She is trustworthy and wise, able to make significant financial decisions with no mention of her husband looking over her shoulder. She is prudent in her purchasing decisions, buying lamps that don’t fail her (“her lamp does not go out at night”) and preparing for unforeseen circumstances. Because of this, the P31 woman has no fear or worry either for herself or for those in her sphere of influence (“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs without fear of the future” v. 25). In the same way, God blesses us with resources and trusts us to put them to good use. And the most precious resource He gives us is His Word. So how are we putting it to use?
Here are some more empowering fandom posts!
- The Gospel According to Coldplay + Big Sean: “Miracles (Someone Special)”
- The Hunger Games: Radiant As the Sun.
- Hermione Granger: When in Doubt, Go to the Library.
- The Gospel According to Coldplay: “Army of One.”
- She takes care of her own health, both physical and spiritual (v. 17, 25). Verse 17 of this passage refers to the P31 woman clothing herself with strength and making her arms strong. The idea of clothing oneself with character also appears in Ephesians 6:10-18, which describes the Armor of God, and in Colossians 3:12-14, where Paul describes putting on “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience… and love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” With these two ideas in mind, it makes sense to imagine the P31 woman’s “making her arms strong” as both a physical and a spiritual exercise. “For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8.
- She is secure, aware, and unashamed of the virtues that being a God-fearing woman instill in her (v. 22, 30). Verse 22 of this passage describes the P31 woman making bedclothes of pure linen and clothing of purple. These two images might be literal, but their symbolism is also important. Revelation 19:7-8 describes the Bride of Christ, which refers to His followers, dressed in “fine linen, bright and pure.” This beautiful clothing isn’t earned; it is given. In a similar way, the purple garments described in this verse represent all the character traits that are endowed upon us the moment we receive Christ as Lord and the Holy Spirit. We are to wear these traits without questioning if they are right for us, without doubting whether we are worthy or capable of reflecting them, and without shame because they don’t come from our own merit or abilities.
- She recognizes that everything else in her life is secondary to her true purpose: to honor and devote herself to God and His Word (v. 30). “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” This is perhaps the most famous verse in this chapter. It proclaims the universal truth that youth and beauty are temporary, then places the fear of God as the most important character trait for any and every human being on this earth. This isn’t to say that other aspects of life are unimportant, but if you aren’t fully devoted to God in everything you do, nothing else in life will ever satisfy.
Conclusion: A girl worth fighting for is any woman who honors, loves and seeks the Lord.
The statement above summarizes what I now believe to define a Girl Worth Fighting For through the lens of Scripture. This passage of Scripture isn’t a list of expectations, nor is it a limit on what we can be as women. It is an affirmation of who we are and who we are becoming, and that is someone pretty amazing. And even before we believe this about ourselves, God sees this in us. He is fighting for us every moment of every day, fighting for our good, fighting for relationship with us, because He has deemed us worthy of His esteem.
Wherever you are on your faith journey, you are worth fighting for. Period!!
I hope you were empowered by this short study of Proverbs 31 and what it means to be a girl (person!) worth fighting for. Happy Women’s Equality Day, and happy fangirling!
New products available now!
To show how much I love and believe in what I’ve just shared with you, I’ve created several beautiful products with the them “you are worth fighting for” and some Mulan-inspired magnolia blossoms. They’re available now on Redbubble, or you can download a free PNG image perfect for phone backgrounds on my ko-fi shop. Simply click the image below to see all the products, which start at about $1. Thanks in advance for your support!
Let’s connect! Subscribe to email updates below so you never miss a new post from me 💖
[…] The Gospel According to Mulan: A Girl Worth Fighting For. […]
[…] Here’s the original blog post : ) […]
[…] Here’s a post I wrote this past fall that further expounds upon the idea of Godly womanhood an… […]