Chauvinism in Disguise

When women started speaking up for women’s rights, they had good reasons. Unfortunately, they moved from battling unjust inequalities to discrediting full-time homemaking and motherhood.

 

Feminism is actually chauvinistic, devaluing women who don't pursue careers outside the home.

This view has strongly influenced the church, causing many to prioritize worldly pursuits above the biblical nurture of family and children (1 John 2:15-17). 

When one element of God's design is rejected (male leadership in church and home), it's natural that other elements will follow. Statistics now show that an increasing number of women are rejecting marriage and motherhood altogether (Pew Research). 

 

I don't believe that women should never work outside of the home, but I think Scripture is clear that whenever possible, our first ministry is to the home, children, and other women (Titus 2:3-5).* 

 

And if you think that's demeaning, I encourage you to seek God in prayer and let Him show you how challenging, creative, valuable, and fulfilling homemaking, motherhood, and women's ministry can be!

 

If you've never seen the beauty of ministering in your home, I encourage you to talk with those who have. Only a chauvinist would devalue so worthy a career choice. 

Please read my "story" and other notes about Titus 2:3-5 below. Thanks! Gail

 

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See Harrison Butker Upset the Anti-God Forces and Don't Be Jealous of Other People's Gifts. 

My Story:

I know this isn't a popular message, and many will claim that I probably never "needed" to work outside the home, so let me share my story:

 

My husband and I started our married life with me working while he went to college. When he took a break from school to work for a semester, he got drafted. His starting military pay was so low that we were below income taxation levels, and I was several months pregnant. When we had our first child, even though the budget was tight, I stayed home to raise him. 

When we realized that with careful budgeting, we could live at that low income level, we committed that I would be a full-time homemaker, staying home to raise our children. 

Our income improved considerably when my husband became an officer in the Army a few years later, yet other officers' wives whose husbands were making the same income as mine told me they "had" to work. 

I did work from home a few times over the years, but my workload was minimal, so it didn't interfere with my most important job as a homemaker, mother, and committed participant or teacher of weekly women's Bible studies. 

I believe there are times when a double income may be necessary, but the majority of two-income families are seeking worldly gain and missing out on spiritual gain.

 

My concern is specifically for women with children. I believe God is best served when they raise their own children instead of letting daycare raise them. And I believe that is the heart of the message of Titus 2:2-5. And since Titus 2 tells older women to share biblical truths with younger women, I felt God wanted me to share this devotion. 

It's also important for husbands to realize these truths, so they don't encourage their wives to make bad choices.  ~ Gail

*Titus 2:3-5 NIV: Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 

"work in their homes" NLT

"working at home" ESV

"keepers at home" KJV

"workers at home" NASB

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If you own Wisdom for Life, please read or re-read Day 56: Women Home Builders.

  

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