I hope you've been reading Titus 2:3-5 as I'm going through each quality older women are supposed to teach younger women. If not, here it is: "... They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." We've worked through three of those pieces: submission, self-control, and purity. What's next on the list?
Day 23
Working at home. God makes it very clear throughout His Word that a woman's responsibility is her home, her children, and her husband. There is no higher calling than to be a mother. God gave us our children to raise them up in the knowledge of Him. I'm not here to talk about motherhood. I'm here to to talk about being a godly wife, and motherhood is part of it, but let's focus on the home and how that affects your marriage. To be a godly wife requires a daily renewal of mind. By redirecting our thoughts and actions to Christ, through Scripture, we will have renewed hope, purpose, and understanding of the love and promises we have in Christ. Part of that process is embracing what GOD is calling us to do.
God is calling us to teach our children what is good, God is calling us to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive. What does Paul mean by working at home? When we looked it up it simply means domestically inclined or a keeper of the home.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't work outside of the home, it means that your home is your priority. If you read Proverbs 31, it is very clear that this wife and mother contributes to the families finances, "She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hand she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. ... She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants." (verses 16-18 and 24) It is also very clear that this woman works hard to meet the needs of her family. She teaches them, she works to contribute whatever is needed (money, food, clothing), and as a result she is strong. THAT is a godly woman. She doesn't do it for herself, or for her own gain, she does it because her families needs are more important than her own.
God is calling us, like Christ, to be selfless.
The world is telling you to put yourself first.
This challenge is forcing you to decide which side you're going to choose.
Our God-given job as women (and therefore it is of FIRST IMPORTANCE) is our husband and children. That includes the home they live in, our primary job is managing our home. If working outside your home is interfering with that, I'm going to challenge you to rethink why you're working. If your job is something your husband encourages you to pursue, then by all means, submit to your husband's wishes. Every home will be different based on the finances, goals, and conversations had with your spouse.
Let me give you my scenario as a working wife and we'll go from there... First thing I did not recognize that as a teacher the principal and superintendent are my boss, therefore I submit to them during my day. My husband or his needs did not come before them. I accomplished everything they asked me to do first because my job depended on it. It was impossible as a teacher to not take stuff home. I was always grading papers, preparing a lesson, completing paperwork... it never ends... As a result my home was in shambles. I struggled getting supper on the table. In fact, most of the time, Kyle fended for himself. I did not do laundry, there were days we didn't have clean underwear. It was just Kyle and I; and I had it in my head that, he's a big boy - he can take care of himself. Yes, he can and he did, without complaining. BUT Kyle knew he wasn't first on my "list" - my job came before him and our marriage suffered as a result. It took years before I recognized that my purpose in life needed to change from: Job, God, Husband to GOD, Husband, Job. When we found out we were going to be parents, Kyle encouraged me to stay home, I also felt God working on my heart knowing I would struggle with God, husband, child, and job. I had to give up my dreams for the sake of my family and what God was calling me to do.
Today you're job is to go back to your purpose you wrote on day 9 and determine if your living it. What is most important in your life? Would you risk losing your job and respond to your husbands needs the moment he needed it without hesitation? If not, your job is coming before him. Would you do the same for your children? God has given you a hefty responsibility and that's caring for their needs and ensuring that your home reflects HIM so your family can come home, removed from the world, and have a renewal of mind - back to CHRIST alone. Working at home is so important because our home should lead our family to HIM. How you work, what you say, what you do, should reflect Christ because our homes reflect US!
Let this song inspire you like it inspired me...
This song was written by a son, about his mother. What an incredible tribute! Think about the future: as an adult what would your children say about your home? Would you get a tribute like this? Think about your home right now: if someone asked your husband and your children about your home, what would they say? Is there something that needs to change? I have quite a list... so I'm going to get to work...
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