Proverbs 31 describes the role of the woman. It is an elevated view, she runs her household like a CEO would run a business. Her husband does not dictate how she does that, God was the One Who gave her this job, not her husband. If the husband dictates her job then he usurps God's authority.
A good leader does not micro-manage those under his charge, he builds them up in their skills and talents by encouraging them to do as they are led by the Holy Spirit. He makes requests out of deference for the rest of the family while sharing wisdom he might have, he does not force, intimidate and manage that which was given to the woman to manage.
Those who believe this is a nothing job have never done that job with due diligence. It's hard work, it is a manager position and very creative and hard working if done to the glory of God.
Do not allow the narcissists of the world to judge the way you do that job, it is not their business. Those who do not live in your household or were only children in that household will not have a proper perspective of the reasons for what you do.
Those who wish to judge others based on what they want to believe tear down the will God in favor of an elevated view of themselves.
It is interesting to me that there are two extremes I have encountered, those that say a woman should be in the home but no part in the decisions there, which is not Biblical. And then there are those who say that if the woman stays in the home she must have no brain. Both are erroneous and very short sided.
If one would elevate a woman's talents by how much money she makes, are missing the calling of homemaking altogether. On a team, each person has a job to do, no one else on the team does that job for them, they must do it.
God gives women clear guidelines in Proverbs 31 as to what that task looks like and it is far more intense than what many women do out in the work force. If the woman does her job as she should according to God's design, she will be an asset to the community while at the same time making her husband look good in his job. A woman at home has the power to built her husband up by her due diligence at home. Let's read what God says about the calling of the woman, an elevated view of her task as viewed by God.
Proverbs 31:
"Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who [s]fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the [t]product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates."
The tasks in the modern women are a little different, many no longer make clothing as was required in the days this proverb was written, however, there are man jobs we do over the years that other women who work outside the home, had to pay others to do.
Over the years I found that there were never enough hours in a day to do all the things I had planned to do. There was never a sense of boredom. There are volunteer activities, support to our husbands when they are busy in the community as well as everything necessary to protect and provide for the family. My husband made the money while I saw where it was spent. That required planning for the best buys, while deciding what was needed and what was only luxury that would have to wait until there was extra money.
Being a household manager is a big job, there are those who are paid to do this, but the homemaker does it herself without a pay check.
For many years hordes of women have been convinced that homemaking was of no value, that prestige in the work place and money was more valuable. These women were duped into leaving the place God had planned for them in favor of fluff, smoke and mirrors.
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