My name is not Rosa. And I am not married to a man whose last name is Hierro. An English-speaker may not understand the humor of those statements. But if you know me, you at least recognize the truth in them. Allow me to explain.
When a North American woman marries, she usually takes her husband’s name. Rose Smith marries Mr. Jones and becomes Rose Jones. In the Hispanic culture, when a woman marries, she takes her husband’s name, but it is added to the end of her maiden name with “de” (of). So, Rosa Perez marries Sr. Martinez and she becomes Rosa Perez de Martinez.
When Rosa introduces herself, the shorter version of her name may be “Rosa Perez” or, as often happens in Christian circles, she may introduce herself as “Rosa de Martinez” (Rosa of Martinez).
So, why the cultural lesson? One, I think it is important to gain an understanding and appreciation of other cultures, especially one that we have tremendous opportunities with which to connect!
And two, because it also explains one way in which many of our Latina sisters understand the name of Iron Rose Sister Ministries. In Spanish, we are known as Ministerio Hermana Rosa de Hierro (Ministry Sister Rose of Iron). Re-read the direct translation of the name, in light of the cultural way in which names change in marriage. Can you see why people might think my name is Rose and that I am married to someone whose last name is Iron?
I have come to see this misunderstanding of our ministry’s or my name as an opportunity to remember my true identity. As a bride of Christ, my identity is found in Him. He, like iron, offers strength when I feel weak. And I, the weaker vessel, the delicate rose, am protected by the solid, unchanging power of the iron.
However, as women, even though we are described as the weaker vessel (1 Pet. 3:7), it does not mean that we are weak. We, too, are strong iron. Our strength is tested through the trials of life, but we are sharpened, as iron sharpening iron (Prov. 27:17).
God made us with a perfect balance of delicate beauty and strength—an iron rose.
Today, as we reflect on and share in the Common Threads, I encourage you to see yourself as a delicate rose, protected and strengthened by God, and therefore also a source of strength for your other Christian sisters, your Iron Rose Sisters.
#IronRoseSister #beautyandstrength #CommonThreads