HOME, the Wife’s Domain
Based on the book THE EXCELLENT WIFE by Martha Peace
I enjoy genealogy as a hobby. In my census research, I have noticed that under the category “occupation” all of the women in my families’ past have answered with the words “keeping house.”
What does the Bible say about “keeping house?”
When studying the Proverbs 31 woman, I note that 9 out of the 22 verses refer directly to her work in the home. The Titus 2, 3-5 directive says that women are intended to be “workers at home.” In I Timothy 5:14,15 it states that women are to “keep house.” Martha Peace says that the Greek word for “keep house” is oikodespoteo, that means literally to “guide or rule the house.”
The Biblical concept of a “worker in the home” is not popular in today’s culture, but God gives a clear directive that He intends for women to work in the home and do a good job of caring for their families. Younger women are usually highlighted, as they have children to watch over and train as well as a house to be kept clean. THE EXCELLENT WIFE says that a wife who is gone with too many activities or work may not have the time nor the energy to keep her home as it should be kept, which I agree with. Older women also need to take homemaking seriously and influence their grandchildren in the ways of the Lord. No matter what our age, we need to care for our husbands – even more so when the husband is a pastor!
A personal inventory about the role of homemaking for the Christian woman may include the following questions:
What is your heart set on?
Are material possessions of too much importance?
Are your children/grandchildren high on your list of importance?
Do you have the Biblical mindset of housework being “homemaking?”
Have you bought into the pervasive cultural attitude that a woman who stays at home is an “non-person” and has little value?
A frequently quoted axiom is “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” We smile as we read this quote but a frown comes quickly when truly “Mama ain’t happy.” Either the extreme of perfectionism or laziness can cause emotional stress in homemaking, so both must be avoided or happiness will be destroyed. God wants us to set the tone of joy, optimism, and delight in the Lord and in our families, so consider meditating on Psalm 145:5-10 – read it repeatedly and incorporate the verses into your life. As you go about your daily chores sing hymns and praise songs with “with thankfulness in your heart to God.” Smile and share with your family members what wonderful things God has done for you and for them. A wife’s home is her domain. With the Lord’s strength, make yours a home where faith grows in a calming, soothing, and reassuring atmosphere.
