It would be well for all of us to refresh ourselves as to the value of womanhood in our society by revisiting the attributes possessed by women according to King Solomon, found in Proverbs 31:10-31. How poetic and prophetic are his written lines.
“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.
“The heart of her husband doth surely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
“. . . she seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
“. . . she considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.”
Though these attributes are honored and revered by King Solomon, the reality of women’s existence was one of servitude and hard labor. She was looked upon as chattel which could be bought and sold at will, owning nothing of her own and possessing no skills which could raise her from her plight, she was trapped doing man’s will for her mortal existence.
It wasn’t until the 1700’s that women began to have legal rights of their own in Western civilizations, while some Eastern civilizations still struggle with that issue.
Though there were still many limited rights for women in the 1800’s, the poet William Ross Wallace (1819-1881) penned a poem which describes the influence of women in society as a whole. His intent was to pay homage to his own mother who raised him as an only child after the death of his father, but it quickly became a standard-bearer describing all women.
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Rules The World
Blessing on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace.
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Infancy’s the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mothers first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow-
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Women, how divine your mission,
Here upon our natal sod;
Keep– oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky–
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
(William Ross Wallace 1865)
Little could Wallace have imagined then how the influence of women would overflow the walls of their homes and impact every walk of life known to mankind. What would his poem be like today seeing how womanhood has shaped and molded so many venues of life.
A few interesting observations regarding women in the world today:
- Women control ⅔ consumer spending
- They hold 40% of total global wealth
- They are the main breadwinner in over half of U.S. households
- There are 18% more families with single mothers than all family households and
- 19% more families with single mothers than married couples.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlinfinancialservice
With this increased visibility, other issues have begun to emerge:
According to https://www.salary.com/articles/mother-salary, the value of a stay at home mom with all she does would require a profession with an annual salary of $178,201– not going to happen. A single mom according to https://www.romper.com/pwhat’s-the-average-income-of-single-moms is actually making $36,780, leaving her well below a sustainable level of income.
Last year, among the groups adopting children, single women adopted 15,704 orphans, so the drive to be a mother exists in these women who have an average income which does not allow them to financially attend to the needs of those being adopted. (https://www.statistica.com/statistics/718084/average)
With our society slipping from the traditional family model of a mother and father to unmarrieds, single males, or single females, more attention will be needed for the event of an untimely death.
It is a glaring fact that women have 30% or 40% less in retirement account balances than men; are 30% less likely to have sufficient access to funding for their entrepreneurial efforts; are eight times more likely than men to look after sick children, which impacts their work day or other responsibilities; and are more likely than men to switch to a job with greater work-from-home flexibility, which can result in lower pay after becoming a parent. (https:/www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin-financial).
In revisiting this consumer group, here are a few items to keep in mind:
- They want you to take the time to understand their goals and aspirations.
- Be willing to listen to their concerns.
- Treat them with respect. Avoid looking down upon them as if they don’t understand their circumstances.
- Avoid sales practices which force people to buy.
- Be willing to have several selling interviews where information is disseminated prior to attempting to make the sale.
- Encourage them to get professional opinions from others in their circle of acquaintances.
- Stay involved with their financial affairs by providing additional information after the sale has been completed.
Some of your most loyal and valuable clients can come from this group if you are willing to spend the time to get to know them and are willing to earn the right to discuss their financial affairs. They also can become great centers of influence which will lead you to additional sales.
Be the first to comment