What is a homemaker? (The KJV uses the term Keeper at Home)
homemaker - household manager: somebody who manages a household, especially his or her own home, as a primary job
KEE'PER, n. One who keeps; one that holds or has possession of any thing.
HOME, n. Gr. a house, a close place, or place or rest.
Here is the definitions from the Greek and Hebrew Lexicons:
KEEPER AT HOME
Strong's Number: 3626 Original Word oiÎkourgo/v Word Origin from (3624) and ouros (a guard, be "ware") Transliterated Word Oikouros ...caring for the house, working at home the (watch or) keeper of the house keeping at home and taking care of household affairs, a domestic
I might then rationalize, a wife is to be her husbands “helpmeet”. This is true:
In the beginning we find that Eve was made for Adam, she was to be his help meet. (Genesis 2:18-20)
What is a helpmeet? HELP'ER, n. One that helps, aids or assists; an assistant; an auxiliary.
COMPARABLE, a. That may be compared; worthy of comparison; being of equal regard; that may be estimated as equal
I found the following from An online Bible Encyclopedia… http://www.studylight.org/enc/isb/view.
Inhabitants. It appears that Adam was the first and lonely Inhabitant of Eden. He was required to dress and keep it. To him the Law involving life and death were given. All the inhabitants of earth And air passed before him, and he named them all; but for him there was Not found a suitable companion, and to meet this want, the woman was Created and placed in the garden with him (Genesis 2:8-23).
Law of Marriage. When the woman was presented to the man, the Lord declared, in view of the fact that she was bone of his bone And flesh of his flesh, a man should leave his father and mother and Cleave to his wife, and they should be one flesh (Genesis 2:21-24). This law has never been repealed (Matthew 19:1-9).
Domestic Duties:
Among the Hebrews, woman administered the affairs of the home with a liberty and leadership unknown to other oriental peoples. Her domestic duties were more independent, varied and honorable. She was not the slave or menial of her husband. Her outdoor occupations were congenial, healthful, extensive. She often tended the flocks (Genesis 29:6; Exodus 2:16); spun the wool, and made the clothing of the family (Exodus 35:26; Proverbs 31:19; 1 Samuel 2:19); contributed by her weaving and needlework to its income and support (Proverbs 31:14,24), and to charity (Acts 9:39). Women ground the grain (Matthew 24:41); prepared the meals (Genesis 18:6; 2 Samuel 13:8; John 12:2); invited and received guests (Judges 4:18; 1 Samuel 25:18; 2 Kings 4:8-10); drew water for household use (1 Samuel 9:11; John 4:7), for guests and even for their camels (Genesis 24:15-20). Hebrew women enjoyed a freedom that corresponds favorably with the larger liberties granted them in the Christian era.
By going to the scriptures I find His truth for marriage, man and woman... they are equal in the Lord, they have different roles to fulfill.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
The world has a different meaning for men and women being equal - this is an old saying I often heard "women can do anything men can do". The reason for this logic, I believe, is so woman could go out and work like men.
We read above that woman did many things in and around the home... woman administered the affairs of the home. She often tended the flocks; spun the wool, and made the clothing of the family; contributed by her weaving and needlework to its income and support, and to charity. Women ground the grain; prepared the meals; invited and received guests; drew water for household use, for guests and even for their camels
Okay times have changed, most do not have flocks, make their own clothing (oh I wish I could), she even made things at home that could be sold to help with the family income... So does this mean my extra time can be spent working outside my home?
When looking at the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 she was a busy lady and seemed to have done a lot of the above.
I might think… Oh, times have changed, in order for the family to make ends meet, both husband and wife have to work and help financially.
What do I mean by "making ends meet"?
Is my "making ends meet" the necessary things in life? Food, clothing, shelter... if I am faithful, He says He will take care of these things.
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:25-34)
Am I using the excuse "making ends meet" so that I and my family can have more luxuries in life. Not that there is anything wrong with luxuries as long as we are doing the Will of God first. Remember Jesus says: “ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).
What is a need? to have need of, to be in want of
NEED, n. to be in want. The primary sense is to press.
NEED,v.i. To be wanted; to be necessary.
Necessity
1. That which must be and cannot be otherwise, or the cause of that which cannot be otherwise. It is of necessity that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time. It is of necessity that two contradictory propositions cannot both be true.
1. something essential: something that is essential, especially a basic requirement food, shelter, and the other necessities
When I truly get to the nitty gritty of it, is it that I want to go out and help with the income so my family can have more than the essential needs?
If… I do work outside my home, am I sacrificing the spiritual needs of my family? When I became a child of God I was to no longer live for the flesh. (Romans 8:1-11)
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-2)
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Galatians 5:17)
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25)
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:1-4)
I am no longer to live the way those in the world live, I am to live by faith in Christ.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
If… I do work outside my home, can I still teach my children properly?
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
If… when my child is older he departs, could it be from something I was lacking to do while training him in the way he should go?
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
My conclusion...
I can find no scripture that says it is pleasing to God to work out of my home.
The safe thing for me is to do what I know pleases God and not take a chance. To trust Him with my all!!!
… for whatever is not from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23b)
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