Judges 5

Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel,
Until I, Deborah, arose,
Arose a mother in Israel. v.7

Read chapter 5
Deborah, a well known woman leader in scripture.  Now this isn't a feminist movement back in that day, but a time when men didn't seem to be taking the lead as they were created to do.  As we look at the life of Deborah in chapters four and five of Judges we can learn a thing or two about women in leadership.  She did encourage and set up well Barak, a man who was the army commander.  She did speak God's word being a prophetess.  She fulfilled her helper role in going alongside Barak to battle.

Let's not just focus on what she did do but also what she didn't do:
She didn't demean Barak and try to take away his manhood.  She didn't speak of her own will and desires.  She didn't get frustrated with his lack of leading and take matters in her own hands.
If you're a woman, how can you step up to lead when men don't in a god honoring way?  How can you encourage, speak truth, respond graciously to the men in your life without cutting them down and exalting yourself?