The notion that a woman cannot find fulfillment in her role as homemaker is a myth endorsed by our culture. Many Christian women have fallen prey to this message, and that is partly due to poor teaching in the church. We have missed the importance and deep meaning of this role and exchanged it for a cheap, superficial, and often legalistic version. It is vital that we strip away the unbiblical teaching so that we can unveil the beauty of this God-ordained role.
Many times, when discussing the role of homemaker, it is framed in terms of a woman’s limitations, instead of how it is directly connected to her Christian walk . A homemaker is often identified by a woman who stays home, cooks good meals, and keeps a tidy house. But boiling the term homemaker down to these kinds of superficial standards is to completely miss the essence of this role. It can also lead to self- righteousness and legalism, and it’s easy to see why many women reject the term based on this wrong explanation.
The original meaning of the term “homemaker”, however, gives a very rich and beautiful picture of what God intended. This term comes from Titus 2:4-5 which says “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.” Other translations say “busy at home” (NIV), “keepers at home” (KJV) and “homemakers” (NKJV). The Greek word used here is oikourgos which is formed by combining two other words: oikos, meaning “house” and ouros, meaning “guard.” So, as an oikourgos, the woman is the guard of her home. This means much more than just checking off to-do lists full of tasks like cooking and cleaning. She is to watch over her household. To ensure what is taught, what is discussed, what is seen and what is heard is edifying. To guard against evil and fight against sin that desires to entangle the members of her household. To selflessly care for the ones whom God has entrusted to her.
When the role of homemaker is viewed in this light, it should empower women to remember their first and foremost calling, which is to be devoted followers of Christ, and to be well equipped in their walk with the Lord. They must “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). As a woman grows in her relationship with God, she will be able to carry out her role as homemaker more effectively.
Below are four ways that a woman can not only grow in her faith, but also guard her home well.
Spend time in prayer
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
(Colossians 4:2)
Lifting her husband and children up in prayer and interceding on their behalf is the most important thing a woman can do as the keeper of her home. Praying for their safety, their health, and most importantly, their relationship with the Lord, is something she should do daily.
Study the Word
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:1-3)
Spending time in God’s Word is essential so that she may know it herself and teach it well. Meditating on the Lord’s precepts will enable her to communicate the Truth to her children as she raises them in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). She will also be able to influence her husband to do the same as she leads by example.
Remind her family of God’s faithfulness
“Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:21-26)
Instead of worrying, being discontent or frustrated with present circumstances, a good homemaker will trust the Lord and remind her husband and children of the faithfulness of God throughout their lives. She will guard against the sins of discontentment, covetousness, bitterness, fear and worry by proclaiming what God has done and how He has kept His promises.
Be a voice of wisdom in her household
“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” (Proverbs 14:1)
A woman who is wise and discerning can properly guard her home from false teaching or sin that can so easily infiltrate her family. She can build a strong house that can withstand attacks from the enemy, she can teach her children what it means to fear the Lord and walk in His ways, and she can be an encouragement and trusted advisor to her husband.
The role of homemaker should be highly esteemed and seen as something more than a list of chores to accomplish. The world desperately needs strong women who fully embrace this role, who are growing in their relationship with the Lord, and who desire for the Truth of God’s Word to penetrate their hearts and the hearts of their families. As the guard of her home, a woman must be equipped to combat sin, she must know how to teach God’s Word, and she must strive to influence her family to know and fear the Lord.
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