The Wonder of Women

What Small Space In the world Is God Asking You To Do Battle?

By Rachel Holeman

Wonder: a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.

I have watched the movie Wonder Woman three times. Now, I am not one to watch something more than once very often. What is it about this movie?

We Love Heroes

I cried ugly shoulder-shaking sobs the third time I watched the film. I surprised myself. Where was this depth of emotion coming from? It was the scene that most viewers remember, when Diana runs head long into the battle alone, leading the charge—and she hunkers down with her shield and takes all the fire so that at long last, no-man’s-land can be crossed over and the front advanced. She is bent double as she deflects thousands of rounds of ammunition. The enemy’s guns are trained on her and her alone. And she takes it, her defenses hold, she kneels and does what no one else can do. She offers her abilities to a war-torn world, doing exactly what she was created to do- and it is life changing, life bringing, and life giving for those in need of rescue.

What We Think the Win Looks Like

We find such hope, such satisfaction, in watching someone else’s story. We watch as they persevere and sacrifice and take wounds and suffer loss. In the end they win—and win big. They save the entire world from sure destruction. Their story is told loudly and publicly. And part of us wants to be them—to find in ourselves that heroic warrior who does the right thing at the right time, no matter the cost for the triumph.

I tell myself that I would do exactly what she did—I would leave my family and friends and go off to fight someone else’s battle, to fight for a cause I didn’t even know about. I would allow my eyes to see the ravages of war, feel the loss of life, and experience the mental and emotional consequences of a lengthy battle. And it would all be so amazing when I accomplish my mission and we are successful.