Several women have commented to me or stated that the Proverbs 31 woman worked outside of her home. I have a hard time finding that in Proverbs 31.
It states that she bought a field so she could garden ~
She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard. {verse 16}
She sews clothing and belts and sells some ~
She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen. {verse 24}
She goes shopping for her food and even goes far to find it ~
She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar. {verse 14}
Her main goal in all of this is...She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. {verse 27}
Nowhere in Scripture can you find where women are told to leave their homes for long periods of time and drop their children off with others to watch. She is admonished to guide her home, be a keeper at home, and train up her children in the way they should go. No one does this better than a mother.
I believe it is fine for women to find ways to make money from home to supplement their husband's salary. They can make things, babysit, whatever. With computers, the options are endless, but her main focus needs to be upon her home and taking care of it, her husband and children. Nothing is more valuable than a happy home.
Did you know that most women don't even cook these days??? I know of some men who have married women who never cook. There is nothing like good, healthy home cooking.
Having a clean home is important also. Everyone enjoys a clean and tidy home. Husbands need lots of love and attention. Children need it also. All of this takes time and a lot of work regardless what Hilary Rosen, the Democratic spokesperson and strategist believes! {She said that Ann Romney had "never worked a day in her life!" She did raise five sons and hold a marriage together. That, my friends, takes work.}
Years ago, I was asked to teach women on being wives and mothers. I was instructed NOT to mention being keepers at home...This was in a church! Well, I decided I was going to teach God's Word, whether society agreed with me or not. The longer I live, the more I see how wise God was in His instructions to us. God is our provider and rewards those who earnestly seek Him and His ways.
So men, when looking for a wife, look for one that aspires to be a Proverbs 31 wife and women, aspire to become a Proverbs 31 wife and wait patiently for a husband that wants one!
It states that she bought a field so she could garden ~
She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard. {verse 16}
She sews clothing and belts and sells some ~
She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen. {verse 24}
She goes shopping for her food and even goes far to find it ~
She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar. {verse 14}
Her main goal in all of this is...She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. {verse 27}
Nowhere in Scripture can you find where women are told to leave their homes for long periods of time and drop their children off with others to watch. She is admonished to guide her home, be a keeper at home, and train up her children in the way they should go. No one does this better than a mother.
I believe it is fine for women to find ways to make money from home to supplement their husband's salary. They can make things, babysit, whatever. With computers, the options are endless, but her main focus needs to be upon her home and taking care of it, her husband and children. Nothing is more valuable than a happy home.
Did you know that most women don't even cook these days??? I know of some men who have married women who never cook. There is nothing like good, healthy home cooking.
Having a clean home is important also. Everyone enjoys a clean and tidy home. Husbands need lots of love and attention. Children need it also. All of this takes time and a lot of work regardless what Hilary Rosen, the Democratic spokesperson and strategist believes! {She said that Ann Romney had "never worked a day in her life!" She did raise five sons and hold a marriage together. That, my friends, takes work.}
Years ago, I was asked to teach women on being wives and mothers. I was instructed NOT to mention being keepers at home...This was in a church! Well, I decided I was going to teach God's Word, whether society agreed with me or not. The longer I live, the more I see how wise God was in His instructions to us. God is our provider and rewards those who earnestly seek Him and His ways.
So men, when looking for a wife, look for one that aspires to be a Proverbs 31 wife and women, aspire to become a Proverbs 31 wife and wait patiently for a husband that wants one!
Joluise · 674 weeks ago
PS I cook all my food from scratch (and taught my sons to as well), just like all the other working men and women I work with. We also live in really clean homes and are highly organised. I just wish I could show women my home so you could see for yourself. I find these comments very hurtful and show a lack of understanding about working women. I don't attach SAHM's, so please don't assume we all live in a mess.
Susan · 674 weeks ago
Alicia · 674 weeks ago
Maria · 674 weeks ago
Holly · 674 weeks ago
I made the decision to stay at home when my Husband and I got married. We both agreed that it would be best for me to take care of our three month old (at the time) and the home. I have no desire to work outside of the home as I feel very comfortable in my situation. But, I will not judge others who think or chose to do differently.
Emily · 674 weeks ago
Jamie · 674 weeks ago
Kate · 674 weeks ago
Thanks for sharing this. Found you through Encourage One Another link-up.
Brit · 674 weeks ago
We both felt like God was pulling us in this direction. This has been my hearts desire since I was a little girl and a wise lady talked to us and said that God often shows his will for our lives through our desires that are true and Godly... and staying home definitely is. She said sometimes we don’t allow God to show us the amazing plans he has for our lives because we have a lack a faith and take control of our own lives, instead of allowing him to have full control.
Then, we read about Abraham and the amazing faith he had to follow God and move his entire family without knowing where he was going. We both then knew that God was asking us to do this.
Brit · 674 weeks ago
After the two kids we have now I took the full 12 weeks off work that I could. My husband LOVED me being at home. Our house was always clean, dinners were planned out and ready for him when he got home, we could focus on family time when he got home instead of frantically trying to share all the cleaning and cooking duties. He didn’t have to worry about the kids receiving the best possible care, and I became a much more lovable person who had more time for him (since I wasn’t stressed about the piles of laundry or a dirty house that I can not maintain while working 40+ hours).
I still have days and moments when I doubt that God will provide for us once I’m home, but then I realize that we are living in His will and we have nothing to fear. Like you mentioned about the Proverbs 31 woman, I am going to be watching a friends kid starting in the fall and teaching birthing classes one evening a week when my husband can be with the kids to bring in some income.
Heather · 674 weeks ago
Heather · 674 weeks ago
I don't believe it is slamming working Moms to speak of the Proverbs 31 woman and the true basis behind it. I also don't believe it is saying all Mom's live in a "mess" because they work outside of the home. I think what it is saying is that not only are the affairs of the home attended to physically, but also that she is there emotionally. She is not stressed out or otherwise engaged mentally (or physically unavailable) to where her family must go elsewhere for things that God created the woman for.
I just blogged on the subject of feminism last night, and believe this fits what I was saying in that blog.
Rachel · 674 weeks ago
I think it's the same way with having a sahm or working mom.....it's always best for the child to have mother in the home. However, some moms can't or choose not to stay home. And child will probably grow up okay. But there are still many benefits to having an at-home mom, and it's still best to teach women how to do that and why it's a good idea.
Kaye · 674 weeks ago
Here are a few things that I pointed out in my post (for those who don't want to read it) - she (the woman in Prov 31) obviously was a business woman - and yes, it was from home. That's because it was (and still is in many parts of the world) socially unacceptable for her to be formally educated or work outside the home. I don't know that the writer of Proverbs 31 was praising her ability to work at home or her ability to provide for her family and keep her household running. I personally read it as the latter of those two.
I also find where there are many successful women in the Bible who were working women: Lydia was a seller of fine purple cloth and made enough money to house Paul (Acts 16:14-15); Deborah was a judge and a military leader; Phebe was travelling to Rome on business (Romans 16:1-2); Ruth works in the field to help Naomi, just to name a few.
And to your point - you're right that there is nothing in the Bible that indicates that women should leave the house to work. However, can you point me to a verse in the Bible that indicates that men need to leave the home to provide for their families? I mean, if women are supposed to stay at home to manage their households (which discounts those of us who leave for work AND manage our households), I guess logically you would draw the conclusion that men would have to leave the house to provide, although that is not the case today. There are a lot of general day-to-day activities (which might have included having someone watch your children for a while) that the Bible does not address. It's all-emcompassing for what we need for Salvation, not for every miniscule part of our days.
So while I think it is awesome that some women can and do stay at home to raise their children and take care of their homes exclusively, I don't dare discount those who do not - whether by choice or by necessity. I think there is definitely a difference in how I run my household and those moms who are eternally absent and have a stand in nanny to raise their children because they don't see the importance in being a mom.
I personally think that Proverbs 31 has caused more of a rift between Christian women than scripture was ever intended to do.
lostinavalon 8p · 674 weeks ago
Heather B · 612 weeks ago
all. It's really eye-opening. If you're interested in Dr. Evan's book, they have information and even free devotional downloads at kingdomwomanbook.com. I hope it blesses you as it has blessed me.