Today I was reading an article on the top 25 women in banking and came across this startling sentence, “The U.S. Census Bureau’s Labor Day announcement that full-time women now earn 77 cents to every dollar earned by men, the smallest gap on record, although analysts say this anomaly is because earnings have fallen for both men and women—and the precipice was highest for men.”

I have to say my first reaction was one of shock and disbelief. I have heard statistics like this before but somehow I just figured they were old statistics – maybe from a decade ago. But when I hear this in today’s marketplace I have to say I’m somewhat sickened. Yes, because I’m a woman. Who says that my work is worth less than a man’s? That is just insane. I work just as hard, and in fact tons of research proves women are more often better at relationships which means better at managing, at employee retention, and also when it comes to customer relationships.

After my first visceral reaction I realized I had to face this issue with prayer – otherwise how could I move on just accepting this as true and accepting that it will mean the whole rest of my career will be undervalued. For me – I couldn’t go on without straightening out my thought on this matter.

For me this means prayer.

But where to start? How do I stop being mad about this statistic and find a spiritual foundation for worth – one that I know will be mine regardless of what this US statistic says.

Several months ago I wrote a blog about my value not being solely defined by salary or dollars. That is a good concept to revisit since this statistic certainly is all about financial value and there clearly are other ways to be valued and to value yourself.

Having said that, I will start my prayer by focusing on the truth about life and value – as God defines it. (And I understand God as whole – He and She.) Reading the Bible in Genesis chapter 1 we find out that “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (King James Version)

This tells me that God made man and woman equal - both made in His own spiritual and perfect image. That is the right foundation to start from - instead of the allegory of Adam and Eve, which suggests a source of inequality and inequity. God already made perfect man and woman in chapter 1 – why edit that creation to be flawed and mortal later? I don’t think God would do that.

Then my prayer moves to consider more about God’s operation in the universe and the power of only one God. A God that is over every creation – not just one type of religious followers but people of all beliefs and backgrounds and all creatures and every idea He/She has made. I unite with many spiritual practitioners in this way – believing in one Higher Power, in one Truth – and seeing that it’s only mankind that has created a million ways to look at that one Truth.

Then my prayer moves on to considering the power of that one God. If the whole universe could unite mentally, powerfully and prayerfully in the understanding of one God what would that truly do for all of us? It would lift us all up.

Here is what one spiritual author, Mary Baker Eddy, says will happen when we get to that point.

“One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, "Love thy neighbor as thyself;" annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.” (emphasis added)

Notice the text I bolded – the result of uniting with all humankind in a concept of there being one God will have awesome benefits – including gender equity. So, will you join with me in this concept? In believing and connecting with others based on our commonality as brethren instead of the idea that we are separated and competing? Like the haves and the have-not’s – or the well-paid and the underpaid?

My prayer has led me here – to this powerful message – and how when I live according to this concept I will benefit and so will mankind. For example, when I live knowing there is only one God, I don’t give power to anything else except God, and thus I can live above any opposite suggestion. There is no competition for God, no competing power – God is it. So I can’t be duped into thinking there is something I’m vulnerable to – including a workplace or a boss that wouldn’t value me to my fullest.

This is not just a hope. I truly believe God is in charge of all, including my individual life. And because of that I can live with all the greatness that is in Her promise of care and love.

This is my foundation for knowing the true statistic for God and Her care for me is 100% or 1 to 1.

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