REAL WOMANHOOD (Part 5)

Keepers at Home

Many women today look down upon stay-at-home wives and mothers. Yet God also planned that women give birth to, and raise children. An effective mother exerts great influence over society. Paul admonished Titus to remind the older women of their responsibility to teach the young women how to be wives and mothers. Paul wrote, “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed” (Titus 2:4-5). Paul shows here that the highest calling for a young woman is to become a competent wife and mother. Society has forgotten that tomorrow’s leaders are trained by today’s mothers.

Why are so many young people in serious trouble with drugs, pre-marital sex, alcoholism and gangs? There are very few “keepers at home.” Many women are trying to jostle full-time careers and family life. Many women have become full-time professionals and part-time moms. In 1960, only 31 percent of married women worked outside of the home. In 1991 that figure rose to 58 percent. Who suffers most? The children do. What is the result? Our wretched society.

How is Christ going to solve the problems in our world today? After His Second Coming, He will reestablish women staying at home, and He will praise women who become loving wives and competent mothers.

Can you imagine what life will be like when women are taught to pursue the God-ordained career of stay-at-home wife and mother? Women will be more happy. Children will be happy and stable. Society will have fantastic well-being. “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts” (Zecheriah 8:4-6). A truly marvelous world is coming. Why should any woman be put down for aspiring to the calling of wife, mother and homemaker?

Motherhood Requires Skill

To be a wife, mother and homemaker requires much education and skill. Teaching and training young children demands years of study. A good mother has to be a teacher, doctor, nurse and psychologist. Most educators are required to take five or six years of upper level education to be able to teach in a school. Doctors have to be trained for eight to ten years. A good mother has to be ever learning as her family matures. An effective wife and mother has to become multi-talented.

Should all women and wives stay at home and not work? The answer is no. There is no problem with single women working. Even when a couple is newly married, a young wife can and often needs to work outside the home. A young couple working two jobs can achieve financial stability more quickly. But if a couple has small children, the wife should not work outside of the home.

There could be times when family emergencies may require that a mother work temporarily, but it should only be temporary. Because of a high divorce rate and sexual permissiveness, our society has produced a large number of single mothers. Unfortunately, most single mothers must work to support themselves. The extended family should provide as much support as possible to single mothers. A single mother must fight to spend as much time with her young family as possible. see Part 6