Woman and Her Calling!

Many years ago the Lord showed me what the duties of the wife were, I took them very seriously with great joy at the sense of purpose and accomplishment. I loved my job!

Yes, for 48 years of marriage God showed me from the very beginning that my job was the home front and my husband's was the work place. If my job is done correctly then it will be finished for the day when he arrives home so that he does not have to do anything that I am capable of doing myself. 

I also believed in having a meal on the table ready to eat so that he didn't have to wait. I didn't want my husband to have the burden of home as wells a the work place too. 

I believed in this so strongly that I did yard work, and even painting rooms and the outside of our houses. The other reason is that I hated unfinished projects and loved the challenge of making things stay nice. 

My husband was always grateful that he could come and relax without more home work to do. He also enjoyed sitting down to a meal without having to wait for it. He never demanded anything of me, but was was happy that I did things this way.

Not every woman will do the painting and the yard work but if they do the household chores as well as food preparation they are obeying God.

The woman even provides the clothes for her husband as well as the clothes for the entire household. The woman's job in the home is varied and busy, she is creative as well as knowledgeable in the things of the Lord to be able to instruct others. She has no time for silliness and drama.

There were meals to be planned so that there was always a menu for the month. Every month there was the shopping for the items on the menu. Organization was a big part of the homemaking job.

Often I made decisions for the household without consulting my husband, he didn't want to have to make these decisions as well as not having time to spend doing it. 

There were times when my husband needed help with his volunteer activities and even when he sat in the city gates (that is the legislature) he enlisted me to help with mailings, deliveries and speeches on his behalf. 

It would be wrong to instruct younger woman to do this job if I had not already done it for myself for many years.  We should never speak about what others should do if we have not done what we are teaching others, that would be hypocrisy. 

Today we live in a world full of younger people who are deeply angry when they are instructed or corrected. They believe they know about things they have never experienced or completed themselves. 

There are those who believe they can instruct others about marriage who never completed their marriages. I was actually instructed one time many years ago about submission to a husband by a woman who had been married only a year, while I had been married 30 years. It is disrespectful and foolish to instruct someone who has worked at something longer than you have. 

I did these things because I love God, because I love my husband and because I loved my children. God placed in me early on the joy of living out His principles as described in Proverbs 31. Of course I didn't do it perfectly, it was not always easy, but I think that any woman with all her flaws and warts can say "I finished the race", when they have lived out their life obeying God. I did have great joy doing what I believed God wanted for me. 

"I finished the race" refers to when Paul was at the end of his life and was ready to pass into eternity. God wants us to be able to look back and know that we did what we were called to do, no matter the false accusations or mockings of others, we persevered and came to the end of our lives full of gratitude for what God did in us through everything. 

There will be those who mock, who claim you didn't do what you did, gossiping that you were all wrong or foolish for doing what God has called you to do. Our joy does not come from the praise of man but from the tenderness and love of Christ Who lives in us. 

Never look to man for validation for doing what is right. Only look to Christ for everything, the constant criticism of man will have no effect when we are with Christ. 

Proverbs 31:10-31 "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 fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates."

Not every woman will do exactly the things I did but if she takes care of the needs of her husband the food and the household she will be fulfilling this passage. 

Here's the thing, the woman who resolves to do this will have to be deeply dedicated to her job as given to her by God to withstand the naysayers who want to negate her calling. She will have to be strong to refuse to listen to those who will claim she didn't or shouldn't do what she really did.  There will be no support from the world or family, but she does not need it because her support and strength comes from Christ.   Hallelujah